


Watch Over Me

by ArielaraLupin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Avengers Family, Crossover, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Fluff, Magical Accidents, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:21:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 34,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26243317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielaraLupin/pseuds/ArielaraLupin
Summary: Fate is a funny thing. It often plays a hand in the lives of others. Sometimes it's a bad thing. But sometimes ... sometimes it's the best thing ever. This is the story of a lonely billionaire and a sweet little girl who became a family. A story of a father who refused to accept the 'norm' for muggleborn families, and irrevocably changed the Wizarding World. The story of a strong witch who survived everything life threw at her. Who did more than survive... Who learned to live and to follow her heart. A story of family, friendship, and a love that brings the lost and the lonely together forever.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Luna Lovegood, Clint Barton/Hermione Granger, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 71
Kudos: 135
Collections: Marvelously Magical Mini Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **This is AU Crossover the timelines have been adjusted to fit the story.
> 
> A million thanks to best beta I could ever ask for, R1ver_s0ng and the lovely addition of wonderful art by thescarletphoenixx !

****

**Chapter One**

Tony Stark was young, handsome, a genius, and a billionaire to boot. From an outsider's point of view he had it all - a lavish lifestyle, good looks, and a charming personality. He had taken the academic world by storm as a young man, starting MIT at an impressive sixteen years of age. His brilliance was published in many notable journals and magazines. When he had taken over Stark Industries after the death of his parents, he had already been named Most Eligible Bachelor in many magazines and polls. Many of those same magazines speculated who would be the one to tame the wild playboy. Yes, Tony Stark certainly seemed to have it all. 

But if he was truly honest with himself, he would admit that the drinking and one-night stands were just an attempt to fill the void in his life. While he certainly had his share of issues with his father, he had still loved him. His parent's deaths had left him an orphan. And Tony Stark, with all his billions, all his fame, and all his success, was a lonely man. He missed having a family. Perhaps it was this emptiness inside that caused him to be that bit more reckless; drive a little faster, gamble a little more. For all his net worth, Tony Stark felt he had very little worth living for. 

He had lost his parents when he was just twenty-one years old and had taken over the reigns of Stark Industries. He had worked with his father's advisor closely. Obadiah Stane ran most of the day to day aspects of the business, while Tony was more the public face of the company. Oh, he always put in his thoughts when he felt his ideas had merit, but he was fine with the way things had been running. Why fix what wasn't broken, right? While Obadiah sometimes went to the Stark Expo, it was Tony's job to put in an official appearance and give a small speech to the public as well as a short interview, and just generally be seen. 

In the first week of November in 1999, Tony had just finished an expo in Berlin and was headed to London for one more expo before heading home to the States. Pepper was joining him for the London Expo. It had all been arranged. Happy would drop him at the hotel before picking her up from the airport. He made a mental note to be sure to confirm that her room was up to his standards. After all that Pepper did for and meant to him, it was the least he could do. 

XXXX

The morning of the London Expo saw a slightly crabby Tony Stark. He hadn't wanted to get up early this morning. But he knew he had to. He had been up late the night before with ideas driving him crazy. He had begun to make notes, his myriad ideas filling one page after another. It was close to sunrise before he finally fell into an exhausted sleep. 

He hurried through his morning routine in between several cups of strong coffee. Pepper met him at his door, straightening his tie and handing him his itinerary for the day. He was hopeful that he could be out of the convention centre shortly after his speech. Then he would be back to the States. Back to his usual routine. But sometimes, fate has other plans. 

XXXX

In Hampstead, London, a little girl was hurrying through her breakfast. Today was the day she had been looking forward to for months. She was going to the Stark Expo. She was hoping to meet the brilliant Tony Stark. She looked back at her magazine that contained her favourite article about him. She had read the article at least four times just this morning. 

According to the advert she had seen, he would be doing a short meet and greet after he gave his speech. She had already come up with a plan to meet him. While she was sure his speech would be incredible, she knew she would have to hurry to beat the crowd to the queue. Maybe she could get him to sign her magazine. 

"Is it time to go yet, Mummy?" she asked eagerly.

Smiling at the precocious little girl, the soft spoken woman chuckled. Her daughter had been asking the very same question every few minutes for the past two hours. Most children her age were worried about toys and frivolous things, but Hermione Granger was not like most children. The only child of two prominent dentists, the six year old was far ahead of other children. Most children were just starting to read at her age. But Hermione had been reading since the tender age of four. 

Her parents were proud of their intelligent little girl. There had already been talk of her advancing a grade at her primary school. Her parents were unsure if they should allow her to advance so soon. Already she spent far more time with her books than with other children, and there had already been some instances of bullying. 

Her father knelt down to her eye level. "Almost time, Pumpkin. If you go brush your teeth, we can head out. Deal?"

"Deal!" she cried as she raced upstairs to brush her teeth. 

In record time she was snatching her magazine from the table, before grabbing her jumper from a nearby chair. Then the small family of three headed to the convention center together. If they had only known that this would be the very last morning they had together, perhaps they wouldn't have rushed. Perhaps they would have laughed a little more, hugged each other a little more tightly. But how were they to know that their world was about to change?

XXXX

Tony walked off stage, having finished his speech. Wiping his face with a handkerchief, he met Pepper as she handed him a bottle of water. 

"You're scheduled for a meet and greet now in the atrium. Do you need anything before we head there?" she asked smoothly. 

"How long do I have to stay for this one?" he asked with a groan.

Pepper smiled at him. "At least twenty minutes Tony. You know these meet and greets aren't all terrible. You meet some pretty interesting people."

Tony snorted. "Sure. Like the crazy woman who was convinced she was my soulmate. Or the man who claimed I was living his life and we were switched at birth? They were interesting."

Finishing the bottle of water, he removed his jacket, tie and cufflinks. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up his forearms. 

"Alright. Let's get this over with. Stay close so we can get out of here quickly," he said. 

Making it to his assigned area, Tony forced a polite smile and greeted those waiting in the queue. Sighing, he looked at the group that had gathered. This was going to be a long twenty minutes. 

XXXX

Once Tony Stark had walked off stage, Hermione had jumped up from her seat immediately. 

"We have to hurry before everyone else gets there!"

"We'll get there when we get there, Pumpkin," her father said. 

"First, we should visit the restroom. No sense in getting in the queue only to have to leave it for the bathroom," her mother said. 

Hermione tried to hurry her parents along. After the restroom break, they made their way to the atrium. Her parents had gotten distracted at a display, and were currently talking to a man about it. Upon seeing the queue, Hermione worried she wouldn't get to meet Tony Stark. Glancing at her parents again, she bit her lip in worry. Then she clutched her magazine to her chest and pushed her way through the crowd to join the queue. 

She could see her parents from here, so surely she wouldn't get into much trouble, she reasoned. She peered around the man in front of her to try and catch a glimpse of her idol. Peeking this way and that as the queue moved, she was able to get a quick glimpse or two. 

Pepper had noticed the small girl peeking between people's legs. At one point she had tried to jump to see ahead of her and almost fallen. Her mouth turned up at the corners and she pressed her fingers to her lips to contain a giggle. The girl was adorable. 

Tony couldn't say how many people he had greeted at this point; surely the number was beyond count by now. He wiped his face again, forced a smile and turned to greet the next person. The first thing he saw were the wild curls, followed by the doe-like brown eyes that could barely see over the edge of the table as a pair of small hands slid a magazine onto the tabletop. 

Smiling, he leaned forward and looked over the edge of the table. The girl was small. He wasn't great at guessing ages, but he guessed she was around five. Glancing around, he didn't see anyone who seemed to be with the girl. Where were her parents?

"Well hello, Sweetheart. What's your name?" he asked, flashing her a charming smile.

"My name is Hermione Jean Granger." the child replied proudly. 

"That's a very big name for such a small girl. How old are you?" Tony asked.

He motioned to Pepper to join him. She would be able to locate the girl's parents. Pepper stepped over and called an end to the meet and greet. Tony had extended it past the agreed twenty minutes and he looked like he was done talking to anyone but the child now.

"I'm six," Hermione said with a sweet, gap-toothed smile. 

"Why don't you come around here so you can talk to Mr. Stark," Pepper suggested. 

Hermione held Pepper's hand and rounded the table. Looking up at Tony, she held out her magazine again. 

"Can you please sign this for me?"

Tony smiled, "Is this for your father? Is he around?"

Hermione stood on her tiptoes and pointed to a couple not far away, talking to another presenter. With a nod to Pepper, Tony wordlessly asked her to get them.

"There he is. But it isn't for him. It's for me. I can't believe you’ve accomplished so many amazing things. I have almost every article about you that I could find. Your latest article on Physics was absolutely riveting." Hermione told him. 

Tony stared at the girl in shock. "You read that article? And you understood it?"

"Of course I did," she said with a little huff of impatience, looking at him as if he had offended her by even asking. "Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines. Of course, we haven't learned about it in school yet. But I’ve read several books. What I didn't know from your article was easy enough to find at the library."

Almost speechless, Tony nodded absently. He found an actual smile was showing on his face. Not the fake one he reserved for the public. But a genuine one. This little girl was delightful. 

Pepper brought the girl's parents over and the smile faded from Hermione's face. Oh boy, was she going to be in trouble...

"Pumpkin," her father said in that disappointed tone. She hated disappointing her parents. 

"I'm sorry, sir. I know I was supposed to wait for you, but I was too excited to meet Mr. Stark. And the queue was already quite long." Hermione said, shuffling her small feet nervously. 

"That's not a good enough reason to do what you did. Running off without letting anyone know is quite dangerous, especially in a crowd like this," her father said sternly. 

Tony crouched down to look at her. "Your father is right, you know. Safety is important. You should always ask permission and let someone know where you will be."

Tony stood and shook hands with her parents. "Usually I wouldn't do something like this. But I am absolutely thrilled to have met your daughter. Would you all like to join us this evening for dinner?" 

"Oh please! Can we?" Hermione asked, bouncing up and down excitedly. 

Smiling indulgently, her parents agreed. "Sure, Sweetheart. I'm sure I can put off Mrs. Morrison's root canal," her father said. 

"We could just close the clinic for the rest of the day," her mother suggested. "Just let us make a few calls."

They moved a few steps away to place their calls, smiling as they hung up. The pair turned around just as a loud screeching sound was heard. Screams rang out as a car lost control and careened right into the front of the building. 

It came barreling right at Mr and Mrs Granger. Glass flew everywhere. People scrambled to escape the oncoming car. It slammed into a large display and came to a stop, toppling the display which began to fall, endangering Tony, Pepper, Happy and Hermione. Happy managed to pull Pepper safely out of the way. But unable to move quickly enough to get Hermione clear, Tony dove towards her. His body covered hers just as debris fell on the pair. 

"Tony!" Pepper yelled. 

Happy sprang into action and began to uncover the two. Digging as fast and safely as he could. He uncovered Tony, who managed to raise his head, looking dazed. 

A swipe of his hand cleared his face of enough dust to see. What little he could see from his position didn't look good. It was chaos. Pepper was already on the phone with emergency services. While Tony knew he was mostly fine, save for some bruising, others appeared to be more severely injured. Happy quickly went to search for the Grangers.

Hermione lay unmoving just under Tony, a nasty gash trickling blood from her head. Tony's hand quickly found her throat to check for a pulse. She was breathing, though shallowly. Afraid to move her lest she be hurt more, he stood and looked for her parents.

His eyes met Happy's who sadly shook his head. Mr. Granger had pushed his wife out of the way, but had been unable to avoid the oncoming car himself. He had taken the hit almost directly, killing him instantly. Mrs. Granger had avoided the car, but a large portion of the display had fallen on her. Happy had checked her pulse but it was already too late. The amount of blood surrounding her pinned body and her empty eyes confirmed the worst, though the paramedics would make the official call. 

Tony hung his head. He felt the guilt wash over him almost immediately. If he hadn't asked her parents to dinner, they may have been far enough away when the car struck. He also hadn't been quick enough to stop Hermione from being hurt. 

Emergency Services had been quick to respond. Tony was treated quickly for his minor injuries, but Hermione had yet to regain consciousness. Their best guess was that she had struck her head when the pair had dived for cover. 

It wasn't until she was being loaded into an ambulance, and he was barred from riding with her that it sunk in. Hermione was on her way to the hospital alone.  _ Alone _ . Her parents wouldn't be able to be there for her. The poor child had no idea they had both perished in the accident. 

As the ambulance pulled away, Tony looked at Pepper helplessly. He hated not being allowed to ride with her. What if she woke up on the way? She would be terrified and confused. 

"It's okay, Tony. Happy is getting the car. We can go be with her if you want." Pepper offered. 

Tony nodded his agreement. "Yes. I feel like I need to be there. I can't leave her alone. At least until her other family members are notified."

Pepper's phone rang to let her know that Happy had been able to find a way out a few streets over. Tony and Pepper quickly made their way to the waiting vehicle and set off to St. Mary's Hospital. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Even though he wasn't family, Tony had managed to call in some favors in order to be allowed to see Hermione. She looked so tiny lying there in the bed. He pulled up a chair beside it and picked up her small hand. His much larger hand engulfed hers. He spoke quietly to her, assuring her that he was here for her, and that she wasn't alone. 

Her prognosis was good. The CT scan had confirmed that she had a mild concussion. The gash on her head had been treated and closed with sutures. Other than that, there was only some minor bruising.

Pepper had been in and out, bringing Tony fresh clothing, several cups of coffee, and updates. Honestly, the woman was a godsend. 

It was concerning that no one else had shown up to check on the girl. No grandparents. No aunts. No uncles. Not even a third cousin twice removed. Perhaps they were just too far away and it was taking them longer to get to the hospital. Pepper had begun to search for more information on her family. 

Tony must have dozed off. He was startled awake when he heard the  _ click click _ of heels entering the room. He sat up and quickly tried to tame his hair as he turned to greet the new visitor. The woman wore a pencil skirt and a high buttoned shirt with a blazer over the top. A badge clipped to the lapel identified her as ‘A. Albright, Social Services.’ A horrible feeling settled in Tony's stomach. If a social worker had been notified, then it must mean that no immediate family was willing to take responsibility for the little girl’s care. 

"Good morning, my name is Anne Albright. I’m here on behalf of Hermione Jean Granger. Has she woken yet?" she inquired in a business-like tone. 

Remembering his manners, Tony stood and returned the greeting as he fetched a chair for her. 

"Thank you. You are Mr. Anthony Stark, I presume?" 

"Yes, I'm Tony," he said with a forced smile. "Hermione hasn't woken up yet." 

"Yes, I spoke with the doctor managing her case before coming in. He says it is simply a waiting game." Ms Albright replied. 

"They said the prognosis was good. And that she should wake soon." Tony said hopefully. 

"Yes,poor dear. Mr. Stark, may I be frank for a moment?" Ms Albright asked. 

His brow crinkled in confusion. "Of course."

"Hermione is a very special girl. She is very intelligent, and already has recommendations to advance to the next grade level. As I am sure you are aware, sometimes intelligence comes with a price. Already she has experienced bullying by her peers," Ms Albright said matter of factly. 

Tony's jaw twitched as he bit the inside of his cheek. He knew firsthand how cruel kids could be. As a child he had often only been popular because of his family's wealth. Those same so-called ‘friends’ would later make fun of his intelligence. It made for a lonely childhood. 

"Please, Mr. Stark. Considering you have refused to leave her side, I am assuming you care for her. Am I correct?"Ms Albright asked, fixing him with a stern look. 

Shifting in his chair, he replied, "I really had only just met her before the accident. But I can say that she certainly caught my interest."

Anne smiled at him. "Hermione has no other living relatives. Unless I am able to find a good placement for her, she could get lost in the system. It would be a shame for such a bright star to fade. Would you consider even becoming a temporary guardian?" she asked, her stern expression softening for a moment. 

Tony wasn't sure how to respond. On the one hand, he felt incredibly guilty for Hermione’s current circumstances, and wanted to help. On the other hand ....who was he to be a role model to a child? Standing, Anne held a folder out to him.

"Just think about it. This contains her information.as well as the instructions with how to proceed, should you choose to. My card is in there if you have any questions or concerns. I just need an answer before she is released," she said, back in business mode as her heels  _ click click click _ ed away, leaving Tony alone with his thoughts. 

XXXX

The folder rested on the table between Tony and Pepper. They had found a quiet spot in the hospital cafeteria. Tony had only left Hermione's room because Happy had taken his place and agreed to call if there was any change.

Tony stared at the yet unopened folder. His hand shook as he reached for it. Pepper reached across the table and put her hand on his. 

"It's okay, Tony. I'll be with you every step of the way. I promise you," she assured him.

Letting out a little breath, he opened the file. First was a copy of her birth certificate. 

_ Name: Hermione Jean Granger.  _

_ Born: 19 September. 1992.  _

_ Location: St. Mary's Hospital, Praed St, Paddington, London W2 1NY, United Kingdom _

_ Parents: Dan Granger DDS, and Helen Granger DDS. _

The next sheet of paper contained information about her schooling, including notes from her educators.

_ Education: _

_ 1996 - current _

_ St. James Preparatory School _

_ Earsby St, Hammersmith, London W14 8SH, United Kingdom. _

_ Notes: _

_ Miss Granger, while a bright child, has trouble connecting with peers. Intellectually, she is advanced for her age, and is easily bored without challenging subjects. Recommend advancement to at least the next grade level. Some instances of bullying have been noted with Miss Granger as the victim.  _

There was a brief medical history next. Not much there other than her being healthy and up to date on her immunizations. 

The other piece of paper in the folder contained information about becoming a guardian or foster carer. It had a list of things that would need to be submitted on his behalf.  _ If _ he decided to take on the responsibility, that is. 

XXXX

Pepper had watched Tony's face carefully as he processed the folder. She knew that he had potential to be so much more than his playboy ways indicated. Very few ever got to see the real Tony. The one who was longing for more. 

"Tony, you okay? I know it's a big decision. You don't have to decide anything today." Pepper said gently.

Tony looked up, emotions playing across his face: uncertainty, fear, longing, determination. He let out a breath. 

"I just don't know Pep. It's a lot to take in. Do I want to help? Certainly. I can't help but feel like it is my fault. If I hadn't asked them to join us for dinner, then maybe-" Tony said, his voice trailing off. It was evident he felt immense guilt over what had happened. 

"No!” Pepper said firmly. “You stop that thinking right this instant! What happened is not your fault! You didn't tell them to stand there to make those calls, you didn't drive the car, and you didn't hurt Hermione. None of it was your fault, just a tragic series of events."

"Even so. What kind of person am I to even try to be someone's carer?” Tony said uncertainly. “How does one even approach that conversation with her? Already there's the fact that she has no idea about her parents. Let alone anything else."

Tony stood and began to pace back and forth in agitation. 

"I mean seriously Pepper. Tell me what to say. It isn't like I can throw it all out there like

'Hey... your parents are dead. I'd like to be your temporary guardian. Maybe adopt you one day. Perhaps ask how she feels about America and advanced robotics? Also have you ever had shawarma? I mean come on Pep. I am no good at these things." Tony said with a sigh. 

Pepper snorted. "Perhaps a little less word vomit and a little more tact? You can talk to her about her parents. You can understand what she is going through. You have been there too," she said softly.

Tony huffed. "Yeah, because we all know that I'm the textbook example for coping with grief and loss, not self destructive at all. Right. Nailed that one,” he said sarcastically.

Pepper grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down into the seat next to her. "You are stronger than you think you are Tony. And capable of so much. Sure, you may not have always done the most appropriate thing. But you stepped up. Began to work in the company. You didn't run away from the responsibility. If I am being honest with you, some of the things you have been doing I think are just to fill that missing space. You miss having a family. You miss caring. The drinking and women are just a sad attempt to put a bandaid on it,” she said in that no nonsense manner he so loved. 

Tony stared at Pepper, gobsmacked. It was like his soul was laid bare. How did she know all that? No one else had managed to see through all his bullshit to the heart of the matter.

"I don't know how you know all that, but yeah.” Tony admitted. “I do miss caring about someone. Having them care about me. And as much as I want that, I also want what is best for Hermione."

Pepper smiled softly. "Then you give her options. Don't just take the decision away from her. Hermione is a smart girl. She can help you decide."

Their phones dinged with an alert. Hermione was waking up. Taking Pepper's hand he said. "We best go see our girl then."

Pepper's heart skipped at the words  _ 'our girl.' _

XXXX

It felt a bit like floating in a pool. Hermione wasn't sure what exactly was going on. She twitched her fingers to trail the water's surface, only there was no water. Just a rough scratchy linen. The finger twitch seemed to cause something to happen. A rapid  _ click click _ sound. What was that? It sounded familiar.

Hermione tried to think.

She wasn't wet, so she knew she wasn't in the pool. So why and how was she floating? She hoped she didn't float too high. She had never been good with heights.

Where was she? Perhaps she should open her eyes. Someone held her hand and a voice trickled into her ears. She cracked her eyes and all she saw were blurry shapes. She blinked and waited for the blurs to clear. 

"Mr. Stark?" her wide eyes looked around. Pepper and Happy. The hospital? Why was she at the hospital? Where were her parents? 

Tony gently squeezed her hand. "Hey, Princess. How are you feeling?"

"Floaty. What happened?" Hermione asked, her tone a little slurred. 

"What do you remember?" Tony asked gently. 

Hermione’s mind tried to sort itself out. She remembered breakfast. Her excitement and hopes to meet Mr. Stark, who she noted was way nicer than she thought. She remembered sitting on the edge of her seat during his speech. Then going to get in line. Being impatient and worried. Meeting Tony, Pepper and Happy. Tony and her parents talking. Her parents stepping away from the group to make some calls. From there it got blurry. There was a terrible screech, and screaming. Something hitting her head. Tony shielding her, protecting her. Then nothing.

"The Expo. There was a bang, and I hurt my head, I think. Tony knocked me over. What happened? Where are Mummy and Daddy?" Hermione asked nervously.

Mr. Stark's face looked serious. She knew something bad had happened then.

"There was an accident. A car crashed into the building. Several people were hurt. You got hit with something before I managed to protect you from the worst of it." Tony replied, pausing for a moment and swallowing as if he had trouble continuing. 

He sat on the edge of the bed and Hermione's eyes began to tear up. Somehow she already knew before she even asked. "Mummy and Daddy, they were hurt, weren't they?"

Tony's hands held hers. "Yes, sweetheart. They were hurt. They were too close to the car,” he said,swallowing the painful lump that rose in his throat. 

Her tears increased. "They aren't here. Why aren't they here?" she asked, panic rising in her chest.

"I am so sorry, Hermione, but they didn't make it." Tony told her gently.

Hermione looked at him in disbelief, "No, you're wrong! You--they can't be..." she said, looking around wildly, as though expecting to see her parents come out from behind the curtain any minute, like it was all a big joke. 

It was the cruelest one ever played, Tony thought, as Hermione began to sob, rocking back and forth saying over and over "I want my Mum and Dad, I want my Mum and Dad, I want my Mum and Dad." Finally it ceased and only the muffled sobbing of the little girl could be heard in the room.

XXXX

Hermione had curled on her side, hugging her arms around herself as she sobbed like her little heart would break. Tony gently rubbed her back, and tried his best to hold in his own tears. Pepper held his free hand and Happy squeezed his shoulder. 

"I'll let them know she's awake," Happy said as he slipped from the room. The door quietly closed behind him.

XXXX

Once the doctor had been in to examine her again, Tony knew he had to talk to her about where to go from here. 

"Princess? I know you aren't feeling very well right now, but I would like to talk to you. Do you feel up to that?" he asked gently.

Hermione looked at him with solemn eyes. "Yes, Mr. Stark," she said with a little sniff. 

Nodding,Tony scooted the chair a little closer to her bed. His mind warred with itself on how best to present this to her. 

"I met a lady earlier." he began. "A Ms. Albright. She and I had a talk about you. She told me that you and I have something in common."

Eyes wide, she asked, "We do? What's that Mr. Stark?" 

"Please, call me Tony." he said with a wave of his hand. "Ms. Albright told me that you and I are both the only ones left of our families."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded sadly. Then she looked at him in concern. 

"You don't have any family either, Tony?" she asked sadly, thinking about how alone he must feel.

"No, sweetheart. See, I was an only child too. And I lost both my parents when I was just a teenager." he told her quietly.

Whatever he expected, it was not to have a lap full of Hermione, who had wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I'm so sorry, Tony." she whispered. "You must be very sad too. But you know what?"

Tony looked down at her sweet, earnest face. "What's that?"

"You do have a family. Ms. Pepper and Mr. Happy take care of you, they're your family. I wish I had family like that," she finished sadly. 

Tony swallowed hard. Blinking back tears, he realised she was right. Pepper and Happy were his family. Moistening his lips, he knew exactly what to say. 

"Pepper, Happy and I can be your family too, Hermione. If you want us to be," he said, his throat constricting tightly.

Her eyes met his, as her head tipped to the side. "You would want me to be your family?"

"Yes, sweetheart. It would make us all very happy to call you family. But before we go this route, we need to talk about a few things, okay?" he said solemnly.

"What do we need to talk about?" Hermione asked, looking a little nervous.

"Well, you don't have to be my family if you don't want to." he said carefully, trying hard to do as Pepper had suggested and let Hermione choose for herself. "We can be friends if you would rather. And then you would get to go live with some new people whose job is to take care of children like you. But if you do want to be my family, then you should know I don't live here in England, my home is in the United States. And that would mean living there with me. You would have to leave your school, your friends, everything. That's a very big deal." he finished, certain the prospect of such a big change would be unappealing to her.

Hermione sat quietly as she thought over what he had said. 

"But I could live with you? And you would take care of me, right?" she said, turning her big brown eyes to his face. "I could be your family. I don't want some other family. I want you and Ms. Pepper and Mr. Happy. I don't have any friends, and school isn't so great. I get picked on,” she mumbled, looking down at her lap. 

He wrapped his arms around her. "Are you sure this is what you want? I will always be your friend. You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I'm sure, Tony." she said certainly. "Are you sure Ms. Pepper and Mr. Happy want to be my family too?"

A sniffle from the door revealed Pepper and Happy both smiling. They joined them in Hermione's room. 

Pepper smiled at Hermione, "Of course I want you to be my family."

Happy reached a hand out for her. "It would be a great honor to be your family, Miss Hermione."

Hermione looked at the faces of her new family. Her heart swelled with happiness. She wouldn't be alone, and she could take care of Tony too, she promised herself. 

Happy sat with Hermione while Tony and Pepper left to make some calls and get started on the to do list for Ms. Albright. It would take some time to complete them. Not to mention dealing with Hermione's parents' funerals, sealing up their house and whatever legalities needed to be handled. 

Ms. Albright was pleased with Tony's decision to take care of Hermione. She would do all she could to move the case along quickly. With Mr. Stark's generous pockets and high reputation, she knew others would rush to comply with his requests. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Hermione was released from the hospital the very next day, having passed all her medical tests with flying colors. She went home with Tony to a townhouse that had been in his family for years. He had previously been reluctant to return, afraid of the memories it brought. They would stay here until they were able to return to the States. 

The next few days were a flurry of activity. A rollercoaster of emotions for all those involved. Tony had to have several checks done - Criminal History, Mental Health, Safety Check, and a Home Check. Ms. Albright had urged him to either use the townhouse or buy a place instead. This way, both the safety and home checks could be completed immediately. He chose the latter. The townhouse was fine for a temporary stay but he wasn't sure he wanted that to be the place examined for the home check. Most days the townhouse felt like a mausoleum, a standing tribute to his parents. It didn't feel like a home. 

All his checks came back clear; they were the easiest part of the process he would have to complete to take Hermione home. His lawyer was working on getting her parent's affairs settled. Tony had paid for their funerals. Hermione had done surprisingly well with it. She later told Tony as he tucked her in bed it was because she knew they would be happy she wasn't alone. 

XXXX

Pepper had her hands full trying to balance work for Tony and all the additional things that needed to be done for Hermione. A passport was a must, as well as declaring her dual citizenship in both the UK and USA. Tony had insisted she be a citizen of both countries, as a way to honor her family heritage.

They had made one trip to her parent's house together, allowing Hermione to gather mementos of her parents and to pack her things she wanted to bring. Although Tony assured her they would be sealing the house, he had even gone the extra mile and had a high tech security system installed. That way, he would be alerted if there were any issues. 

XXXX

It was almost Christmas. Tony wanted to make it perfect for Hermione. He wasn't sure what he should get her. With the urging of Pepper, Happy and even Obadiah - he had finally stopped dragging his feet and filed to formally adopt Hermione. He had been worried he would be like his father. But both Pepper and Obadiah had been able to talk him out of that nonsense quickly. 

XXXX

December 25th was a white Christmas. Snow had fallen during the night. Hermione had been unsure if Santa would even get her anything since she had already gotten a new family - a very big gift indeed. She was amazed to see all the presents piled under the tree and she raced to Tony's room to wake him. 

"Tony! Tony! Santa came! Get up! We have presents to open!" she exclaimed urgently.

When he didn't budge, she climbed up onto the bed and wiggled under his arm. Her fingers started tickling his side. Quick as lightning, Tony shot out of bed. He plucked her from the bed, spun her around and tickled her. Her giggles filled the room. 

Happy and Pepper met them in the family room to open presents. Pepper had taken Hermione shopping to get special presents for her new family. She gave Happy a keyring engraved with his name (Mr. Happy) and a smiley face, making him chuckle upon receiving it. Pepper received a bracelet from her that had pretty red, orange and yellow sparkly beads that matched her hair. For Tony, Hermione had agonized over the perfect gift. She had gotten him a basket of sweets in the end. She wasn't completely happy with it - it didn't seem good enough after everything he'd done for her. But as she passed a store window, she stopped. She had finally spotted the perfect gift! 

Tony's hands traced the polished surface of the gift Hermione had given him. She had gotten him a pocket watch. She had climbed into his lap to show him. On the inside she had put a picture of the two of them. She removed it to show him that underneath were engraved the words, _'Love Mini.'_

He smiled at the memory of the nickname. Pepper had jokingly said that Hermione was a mini Tony and the name just seemed to stick. 

He hugged Hermione tight as he thanked her for her gift. She was snuggled into his arms when Tony pointed to a strange roll of paper nestled in the tree. She climbed down and brought it back to him. He lifted her back to his lap and helped her untie the ribbon. He bit his lip as he watched her eyes read the words - ‘Petition of Adoption.’ 

Eyes wide, she read the words aloud. She tilted her head up to look at Tony. "You want to adopt me?" she said wonderingly.

"I would like to, Mini. That way we'll always be family. I'm not trying to replace your parents, I won't ever try to," he promised. "But I do want to make you my daughter. It would make your name Hermione Jean Stark. If you would like to be that is," he finished, a bit uncertainly. 

Hermione smiled, "I would like that very much."

Tony pressed a kiss on the top of her head. He was going to officially have a daughter. The idea was scary and exciting all at the same time. 

"Tony?"

"Yes, Mini?" he replied.

"What do I call you now?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head.

"Well, you can stick with Tony if you like," he shrugged.

"Well, I had a Daddy." Hermione said thoughtfully. "Would it be okay if I call you Papa?" 

He hugged her tightly. "Sounds perfect, Princess."

Later that night, her head was tucked under his chin, eyes heavy with sleep, as she softly said, "Papa?"

"Yes, Princess?" he replied automatically.

She was almost asleep as she quietly said, "I love you."

Tony's heart had never been so full. He held her for a long time before he carried her to bed, tucking her in tightly. 

Kissing her forehead he said, "I love you too, Hermione Stark."

XXXX

Hermione was nervous. Her fingers were clutching the hem of her skirt as she waited for the plane to take off. She was headed to New York for the first time. Heading to her new home. Her little fingers had fumbled to fasten the belt. Papa had sat beside her, helped her fasten it securely and let her squeeze his hand when they took off.

She had only flown once before. She had gone to France last summer with her parents. She remembered Pepper saying that having her passport redone was easy since she already had a current one. She had been worried about all the work she was causing everyone. But they had all told her not to fret and hugged her reassuringly. 

Now here she was, just a few short months into her new life as Hermione Stark. Ultimately, the decision had been made for her to remain in London until the school year was completed. In that time, Tony had managed to get her adoption finalized, her parents estate settled, and he had even bought a home near Wiltshire. Hermione adored it. It was much larger than her parent's house, but it had so much room to run and explore. Plus Papa had set aside one room and filled it with books. She spent many hours there happily reading. 

Happy was the one who would come and convince her to play outside sometimes. There was a lovely garden that the two had built a treehouse in. It was a bit lopsided, but Hermione loved it even more so for its unique features. Pepper was the one to remind her to eat. She often claimed she was as bad as her Papa when he was involved in a project. Papa, well he often joined her in the library. He'd scoop her up on his lap and the two would read together. Often she left her Papa flustered when he realised she did indeed understand a large majority of the things they read. 

XXXX

Tony loved his new life. Sure, it had it’s issues right now. Being in London while running a business in New York was not easy. He had to return stateside a couple of times but mostly he was able to video conference. It was during one such conference that Obadiah had gotten to meet Hermione. She had come running into the office to show him something in the book she was reading. Tony had immediately lost his train of thought and become thoroughly engrossed in what the child was telling him. Because of this, he missed the look on Obadiah's face. But Hermione hadn't. 

She thought he looked just like the mean old Headmaster at her old school. When he was informed she was leaving, a myriad of emotions had crossed his face. At first it was panic. Then the sneer had settled on his face as he implied that perhaps it was better off this way. After all, St. James couldn't _make_ her stay. They could only charge Papa an extra semester of tuition fees for withdrawing her from the school. 

Hermione thought Obadiah looked as though he had smelled something foul. His mouth twisted in disgust as he leered at her and her Papa. But when Papa looked at him, it smoothed into a smile that fooled him. She tried to tell Papa that she didn't like him later.

Papa had waved away her concerns as he told her stories about how his father Howard had trusted Obadiah and how they had worked together to run Stark Industries for years. 

Hermione wondered why Tony always addressed him as 'my father' or 'Howard.' She had never referred to him or her Daddy as 'father.' It made him sound stuffy. 

"Papa?" she asked.

"Yes, Mini, my love?" Tony replied absentmindedly.

"Why do you call Grandfather that, with that face? Was he a bad Daddy?" she asked curiously.

Tony sighed. "It's complicated, Sweetheart. My father was a very brilliant, very successful man. Unfortunately, as a consequence of that success, it left very little time for his home life. He cared in his way I think. But growing up I heard alot about his golden boy Captain America, and I will admit I resented it. As I grew older, I spent less time at home and distanced myself from him. I do regret it now," he finished softly. 

Hermione wrapped her little arms around him. "I know he loved you. Know how?"

"How's that, Princess?"

"Cause I love you. And so does Pepper and Mr. Happy. So how could he not love you?" she said, as though that settled the matter.

Tony held her close. Breathing in her scent he said, "I'm sure you are right. And your Daddy and I have been blessed to have you as a daughter." 

XXXX 

Hermione wasn't sure what exactly it was about tonight, but she could only describe the feeling as ‘buzzy.’ As if a swarm of angry bumblebees had taken up residence inside her. It had started from the minute she entered Stark Tower. She had touched the side of the door panel on the way in and yanked her hand back with a yelp. A nasty shock had jumped between her hand and the door. Papa had soothed the sting. He said it was probably just a malfunction and he would have it checked out. 

If that had been the only incident, she might have agreed with him. But it seemed anything electronic she came into contact with made it happen again. Papa had yelled for Jarvis and demanded an explanation. But as soon as the voice belonging to Jarvis responded a large surge popped and shocked them all before the power in the tower failed. 

When the backup generator kicked on, Tony was frantically typing away trying to discover the problem. Hermione stood in the middle of the room afraid to touch anything. Tears streamed down her face as Tony began to curse to himself. Pepper covered her ears but Hermione could still hear Papa. She knew this was her fault. Somehow she had done this. She hadn't told Papa about the other strange things that sometimes happened. She had been afraid he wouldn't want to be her family anymore. 

Pepper had taken her out of the room and into a bathroom. She helped Hermione clean up and got her a drink of water to soothe her. Tony knocked on the bathroom door as she finished washing her face. His hair stood out in strange places where he had pulled at it. 

"You okay, Mini? A little scary welcome home there," he said, trying to sound reassuring.

She launched herself at him, wailing. "I'm sorry, Papa! I didn't mean to! Please don't send me away!" 

"Oh Mini, it isn't your fault! You didn't do this. It was most likely just an electrical surge or built up static electricity. Once Jarvis is back up and running I'll know for sure." Tony wiped the tears from her eyes. "And even if it had been your fault - which it's not - I wouldn't ever send you away. Ever. We're a family now. We stick together. Got it?" he said, stroking her hair. 

Hermione had finally gotten settled in what was to become her new room. Pepper had assured her that they would go shopping to decorate it just the way she wanted. Hermione liked that idea. She missed her bedroom at her parent's house. And the one at their new house in England was done in lovely creams and greys. 

The buzzy feeling was still in her belly, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been earlier. Papa had come to tuck her in properly with a kiss to her forehead and a big hug. He told her that tomorrow he would be taking her to see Stark Industries - something she was really looking forward to. 

XXXX

After breakfast the next morning, Hermione took great pains to dress the best she could. She wanted Papa's employees to like her. Her mama always told her that looking your best was the first step to making a good first impression. Pepper had come to check on her just as she had begun struggling with her hair. She helped her tame it back into a low ponytail and assured her she looked fabulous. 

She held tightly to Papa's hand as they entered the building. She smiled politely at those who greeted her Papa. She could see the curious glances in her direction. But Papa ignored them as he talked to Pepper - getting caught up on business. 

Once they were in his office she found a small table set up just for her with books, art supplies (no glitter unfortunately), and several puzzles and brain teasers to entertain her. She happily settled in for a couple hours. Then Pepper came in bringing Tony a coffee and her a tea before escorting them to a conference room. People watched amusedly as the tiny girl followed in Tony’s footsteps, clutching a notepad to her chest. 

When they entered the conference room. Hermione was unhappy to see that Obadiah was already there. She just did not like him. She had tried to because Obadiah was important to Papa, but she just couldn’t make herself like or trust him. He knelt down to talk to her. But unlike Tony. Pepper and Mr. Happy - he talked to her as if she were a baby, or a puppy. 

"Aren't you just adorable? Yes, you are!" he exclaimed, glancing at Tony, "How old is she again? What will she do during the meeting?" he asked, completely dismissing her. Her irritation rose. She did not like him one little bit. There was just something about him that made the buzzy feeling in her stomach return.

As if sensing her discomfort. Tony steered her to a chair at the head of the table. right next to his. Obadiah's sound of displeasure was muffled by the sound of others filling the room. After a quick introduction, the others got down to business. Hermione settled in her spot with her notepad and pen. She tried to pay attention to what they were saying but the buzzy feeling was really uncomfortable. 

Obadiah kept leering at her as she shifted restlessly in her chair. With an exasperated huff he called a halt to the meeting. "For God's sake Tony - take the girl to the bathroom or put a pull up on her before she wets herself," Obadiah said scathingly. 

Tony's mouth dropped. He gaped at him before he furiously began berating him for even inferring such things. 

Hermione's cheeks flushed red. The buzzy feeling got angrier as she stared at Obadiah with narrowed angry eyes. Suddenly the glass of water he had been holding shattered, soaking his khakis and making it look like _he_ was the one who wet himself. 

Obadiah jumped and began furiously swiping at his pants as if that alone would get rid of the wetness. Hermione watched as the buzzy feeling receded and settled again. She noticed that Papa was having a hard time containing his amusement. Even Pepper was snickering. As Obadiah left the room, several people gave in to their laughter.

XXXX

Months passed as the family settled in. They had spent a very pleasant two weeks in the Malibu home. Hermione loved the beach. She spent hours collecting and cataloguing her finds from beach combing with her Papa. 

When it was time for Hermione to return to school, Tony couldn't seem to settle on one. In the end, he had decided to send her to Trinity School. It was a highly selective independent, preparatory, co-educational day school for grades K-12. She was nervous to attend. She had never made friends easily. 

Many had seen Tony Stark escort her to the office on her first day which had fueled several rumors. They ranged from her being the product of one of his one night stands, or that he hadn't been seen with her in public because he was ashamed of her. 

Because Tony had agreed to allow her to advance a year when the school had offered, she found herself being jeered at and taunted by her older classmates. There were the usual insults about her intelligence, lack of friends, her hair, even her teeth. There were new ones too. They picked on her about her accent, even the different names she called things, such as crisps instead of chips or even chips instead of french fries. 

Perhaps the most vicious taunt thrown at her was that Tony had taken her in like one would a stray dog. There was one boy a few years older who had even gone so far as to push her into a wall in a hallway while he wrangled a dog collar on her. This resulted in the buzzy swarm swelling and the boy being thrown off her and into the other wall opposite her. 

Tony had been called to the school and the deputy headmaster had declared that she had pushed the other boy. Tony was furious. He knew that wasn't what had happened. Mini had been coming home from school quite subdued and often tried to avoid going in the mornings. For a child who loved learning, Tony knew something was most definitely wrong. She had refused to tell him what was going on. She still had a fear of him being disappointed in her as his daughter. 

In the car on the way home, she had finally broken down and told him everything. All the taunts and bullying. Like any good parent, Tony was furious that anyone would hurt his little girl. 

He spent the evening cuddling her and reassuring her that he loved her and he was so happy she was his daughter now. He asked her to hold on just a bit longer while he arranged for a private tutor. She agreed, and Tony began searching for a proper tutor for her. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Hermione was anxious. Mr. Happy wasn't there to get her. Using her 'in case of emergency' phone, she called him. He assured her that he was almost there. After hanging up the phone, she began to fiddle with her satchel as a van pulled up in front of her and a man exited the rear van doors and rushed at her. 

The man snatched her and was trying to force her into the van. The buzzy feeling went into overdrive and the man fell to the ground twitching and screaming. Mr. Happy had just parked the car when the van pulled up. He rushed to her side. He wrapped her in his arms as she sobbed. He used his phone to call the police. Hermione was already dialing Tony. 

XXXX

Tony had hated what Hermione was having to endure at school. He had immediately begun searching for a private tutor after the incident that had led to the meeting with the deputy headmaster. It was during an interview with a prospective tutor that all hell had broken loose. His phone rang with Hermione's ringtone. He held up a finger and answered. 

"P-PA-PAPA!" she sobbed into the phone. 

"Mini?!?! What's wrong? Talk to me!" he said encouragingly, trying to contain the rising fear he felt at the panic in her voice. 

"Mr. Ha-Happy was late and there was a van. He grabbed me. Then the buzzes got angry. And he screamed." she explained brokenly. 

"Slow down, love. Breathe for me. Did someone try to make you go somewhere with them?" He asked, barely in control of his emotions. 

"Yes! Papa, I'm scared. Mr. Happy called the police. But I don't want to stay. Come get me, Papa. Please?" she cried. 

He told her he was on his way and to stay with Mr. Happy, as he hung up the phone and cursed loudly. 

"Meeting's over. We gotta go. Now! Someone tried to kidnap Mini." Tony exclaimed urgently.

Pepper gasped and began asking questions as they rushed to the garage. 

He broke the speed limit and several laws in the mad dash to get to Hermione. Even though he had talked to both Hermione and Happy, he wouldn't be reassured she was okay until she was in his arms. 

XXXX

It was a sleepless night for Tony. He had almost had a heart attack today. The panic had barely subsided. First thing tomorrow he was going to smother her in love and cuddles and spend the entire day with her. 

He could have lost her today. He should get her self defense lessons. Yes, she was small. but she could fight back. He still wasn't sure what the buzzes she kept talking about were. This was the fourth time that he had heard her mention them. Perhaps it was just her sense of awareness. Her instincts or gut feeling. Whatever it was, he was immensely grateful that it had saved her today. It had been too close a call.

On second thought, perhaps she needed a personal bodyguard too. The alleged kidnapper had confessed under questioning that he had planned to demand Tony pay a ransom and once he received it, had no intention of returning his daughter. 

XXXX

After the kidnapping attempt, Tony had made several decisions. The first was to keep Mini out of the public eye if possible. The more people knew about her, the more she would be endangered. The second was the decision to hire both a private tutor who had great recommendations and also a self defense coach that Rhodey had gotten him in touch with.

Hermione had begun some self defense lessons once Tony found a reputable teacher. She was always eager to demonstrate what she had learned. Though Tony had learned the hard way to have her use a practice dummy after she had kicked him in the crotch. 

She had complained that the dummy just didn't work because it didn't feel real. It didn't move after all. So he did what he did best. He tinkered in his lab and created a dummy robot for her to practice with. (Cushioned, of course. He didn’t want his Mini to hurt herself.) Many evenings, after her tutoring sessions were done, she joined him in his lab, handing him tools and discussing ideas for the dummy who they had decided to call ‘Bodyguard.’ 

He was a bit jerky and often glitched when her "buzzes" acted out. But she was happy with him. And Tony? He was thrilled that he was no longer in danger of being kicked in the nuts. Pepper jokingly referred to him as 'Jewel Saver'. Something that Hermione had asked about and Tony had waved off with a 'when you're older' excuse. 

The idea that a robot could fight back was intriguing and something he could explore later. Perhaps as a future project for Stark Industries. 

XXXX

Because of the constant vigilance when going out in public, very few knew who Hermione Stark was, or what she looked like. Tony didn't have to worry about employees at Stark Industries, his lawyers had secured air-tight non-disclosure agreements for employees of the company long before Mini had come along. She also hadn't attended school long before she began her private tutoring. Tony was very careful not to be photographed with her, the fear for her safety had never quite gone away. As the months began to turn into years, people seemed to forget about Hermione Stark. Something that pleased Tony greatly.

Life went on for the small family. Despite her young age, Hermione excelled at almost everything she tried. As she grew, Tony and Pepper began to see small incidents that Hermione called "buzzes." Tech often failed around her, only for no real diagnostic reason to be found. Then, there was the fact that even though he tried to write it off as static electricity, her hair seemed to crackle when she was upset. Once, Pepper had been convinced she had seen a book float from the shelf to Hermione's hand. 

While all parents in the world loved to claim their child was special and unique, Tony knew there was no denying that there was something very special about his daughter. So he did what he did best - he researched and experimented. He had found that the days she felt "buzzy" were days that the tech she was near would have trouble. He had been working on ways around the malfunction. 

Thus far, he had only had small amounts of progress to show for it. Tony looked for anything and everything he could that might possibly relate to what Mini described and experienced. He had even called in a quiet favor from Rhodey. Between Tony and Rhodey, they had never been able to find anything reliable. 

It wasn't until the morning of her eleventh birthday that what made her so special became apparent. They had taken a short holiday, returning to the United Kingdom. The morning had started off with Tony attempting to make Mini pancakes. Something that Pepper had quickly taken over when she noticed the amount of chocolate chips he kept adding to the batter. Not that Pepper had anything against a little chocolate now and then. But Tony was an absolute chocoholic. 

They were sitting around the breakfast table with Happy when someone knocked on the door. It was only the manners his mother had instilled in him that prevented Tony from gaping at the visitor. An older woman, whose hair was pulled back into a severe bun, glasses perched on her nose, wearing an old fashioned gown. She looked out of place standing on his doorstep. But he managed to greet her properly. 

When she explained that she was there about offering his daughter a chance to attend an exclusive school, he almost shut the door in her face. It was only as he was closing the door that his mind registered that she had inquired about Miss  _ Granger _ , and not Stark. Maybe this woman had known Mini when she attended school here before her parent's deaths.. He slowly opened the door and studied the woman intensely, silently cursing himself for not transferring Jarvis to this residence. 

Making brief contact with Happy, who nodded his silent request to be alert, Tony finally allowed the woman, Minerva McGonagall, to enter his home. He led her into the sitting room. He knew Mini was helping Pepper in the kitchen as they cleared away breakfast and prepared to bake her birthday cake, a tradition Pepper had started the very first year Hermione was with them. 

Minerva McGonagall - that was a mouthful, sat opposite Tony and eyed Happy as he stood against the wall. 

"As I said, I am here to offer a place in an exclusive school to Hermione Granger. Would it be possible to have her join us, please?" She asked primly. 

Tony shook his head. Leveling his gaze at her, he said, "Not until I’ve heard more about this school and the offer itself. I take the wellbeing of my daughter very seriously."

"I can understand that and I commend your efforts. Very well," she said as she removed an envelope from a pocket and handed it to Tony. " I am here on behalf of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Hog what’s? Did you just say witchcraft and wizardry?" Tony said, baffled and looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Hogwarts.” Minerva repeated. “I assure you, it is a real school that teaches the very fundamentals required of all young witches and wizards. To put it simply. your daughter is a witch."

Tony sputtered as he tried to put together what she was telling him. The very idea was ludicrous. Then he remembered the incidents he couldn't explain. All the buzzy feelings Hermione seemed to experience. 

"I can see you’re wondering if I’m telling the truth. Have you ever had anything happen around her that you just couldn't explain?" Minerva asked.

. 

He nodded slowly. still trying to accept what he had heard. 

"That's because she is a witch and has magic. Just like me." Minerva said calmly.

"W-witch." he choked out. "Aren't witches green skinned, with warts and pointy hats?" he tried to joke. He wondered if she was really telling the truth.

Minerva chuckled, "A common misconception. I assure you. Though some do wear pointy hats."

"So you have magic? And Hermione does too?" His eyes glanced toward the doorway as though talking about her would summon her. 

"Yes. I am a witch, and a professor at Hogwarts," she answered proudly.

The next two words were some that would change his perception of the world around him forever. "Prove it." he said, challenging her.

One corner of her mouth tilted up, seconds before she disappeared and a cat sat in her seat. 

He jumped out of his seat. Both he and Happy cried out in shock. The sound caused Pepper and Hermione to come running. 

Pepper was the first into the room, shielding Hermione. "Tony! What's wrong?" she exclaimed.

Hermione peered out from behind Pepper. Spotting the cat she raced to the settee and snatched it up, cuddling it as she turned to Tony. 

"You got me a cat! Oh Papa, she's beautiful!" she exclaimed as she continued to pet the now purring cat. 

Tony cleared his throat, trying to slow his racing heart. "Not exactly, love. Why don't you put the cat down and come sit with me? Nice and easy now. Be gentle,” he cautioned her.

Hermione's confusion showed on her face, but she did as he asked. Once she was sitting down, he tried to explain the cat was really a witch. He kept stumbling over the words. 

"Well, you see… I know it looks like a cat. But, really it's not a cat. Not really. Well, I mean it is. But, it isn't. She is really- well she says you are too and then she was the cat. Do you understand?" he said, rambling.

Hermione nodded seriously at him before shooting a confused look at Pepper. Pepper shook her head, just as confused as Hermione. 

Hermione looked at the cat trying to understand what he was saying. How was a cat not a cat? The cat who had been grooming herself since Hermione set her down, shivered then suddenly changed into a woman. A gasp and a thud behind her was all the response for a moment. Tearing her eyes away from the not-cat, Hermione saw Happy slumped on the floor, Pepper kneeling at his side. 

"Ahem. Miss Granger," The 'not-cat' woman said. Hermione turned back around and blinked rapidly, as if blinking would help her understand what she had just seen. 

The older lady smiled at Hermione. "I know it can be difficult to understand," she paused when Tony scoffed. "But I can assure you that what you just saw was very real. My name is Minerva McGonagall, and I am a witch, just like yourself."

Hermione sat silently. She looked for any sign that this was some elaborate prank or joke. 

"It's true, Miss Granger. I am a witch. Just like you. Have you ever had something happen that you just couldn't explain? A sort of tingling inside you that just seems to build until it bursts? That's your magic." Minerva explained.

"But, how do you know about that?" Hermione asked pensively.

"When you had your very first display of magic, your name was recorded into a special book at Hogwarts. That's the school where I teach young witches and wizards."

Hermione tilted her head as she studied the professor. "Hogwarts?" 

"Aye. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's located in Scotland and is a castle, rich with history." Minerva smiled as the girl's eyes lit up. A future Ravenclaw perhaps, she thought. 

Tony interrupted the two, "Mrs. McGonagall, ma'am, I have some concerns that will need to be addressed before this goes any further." He looked at Hermione before continuing. "The first, is that you keep calling her by Granger. And while I adopted her and officially made her a Stark, is there a reason the letter of offer still says Granger?"

"Ah. Yes. The adoption was done through muggle - non magical, means. Because she was a Granger at the time of her first display of magic, that is the name recorded. Had the adoption been one of magical means, Her name would have automatically updated. I can address the name issue with the other staff to ensure the correct name is used, " she assured him. 

Tony scratched the back of his neck, thinking hard. "Actually, that may not be necessary," he said, looking at his daughter for assurance. At her nod, he continued, "I'm not sure if you’re aware, but the name Stark is a pretty big deal in our world. And because of that, it can draw a lot of attention - not always good. A few years ago, there was a kidnapping attempt. It was probably the accidental magic you talked about that saved her. Since then, we have really tried to keep her out of the public eye. So, if we did decide to send her to your school, we would prefer if she used the name Granger still."

Minerva nodded in understanding. "While I admit that the magical world is behind the muggle world in some aspects, keeping her name as Granger will not be an issue at all. As far as safety, there is no safer place than Hogwarts. It is warded and protected. No one may enter or leave the grounds without an escort from a staff member. To muggles, the castle looks like ruins, to discourage anyone from looking too closely. All magic is monitored on the grounds. Students may not do magic in the hallways. And other than staff, very few magical folk are allowed entrance,” she explained. 

"And muggle folk? Do many of them visit?" Pepper chimed in. 

"No. Muggles are not allowed at Hogwarts," Minerva said sternly. Pepper looked crestfallen.

Tony and Pepper exchanged a look. "Yeah, that's not going to work for us. There’s a reason Hermione has had the best private tutors money could buy. There were issues with bullying. Unless I’m allowed access to my daughter, should I need it, then I’m not sure we will be sending her there. Surely there are other magical schools or even private tutors. Perhaps one even closer to home. Surely there is a magical school in the United States," he said, frowning. 

"I can understand your hesitation, Mr. Stark, I assure you I do,” Minerva said. “There are other schools, which I can get you in contact with if you would like. While we would love to have Miss Granger attend our school, we understand the need to do what is best for your family."

"And not being allowed access to my daughter? What can be done about that?" Tony asked. He hated the thought of disappointing Mini, but he needed her to be safe.

"The staff at Hogwarts will be sure to inform you of any issues. We will send an owl should the need arise,” Minerva explained.

Tony arched one brow. "An owl? Why not just call the parents?"

"Unfortunately, magic and technology do not mix too well. We have no technology at Hogwarts." Minerva replied.

Tony looked scandalized. "No tech? None? Whatsoever? What do you do about lights? And appliances?"

"Oil lamps and candles may be old fashioned but they are not affected by magic." Minerva answered. A part of her enjoyed watching the man struggle with the idea of no technology. She almost chuckled out loud before she managed to catch herself. 

"Any other questions or concerns? I am happy to answer any questions," she said kindly. 

Hernione and Tony exchanged a glance. "Can we see more magic?" They both asked eagerly.

Laughing, the witch withdrew her wand and spent the better part of the next hour showing several magic spells and explaining more about Hogwarts and the magical world.

Afterwards, she stood and tucked her wand away again. "Now, are you still curious about other schools or will you be joining us next September?"

Hermione turned to Tony, eyes pleading. "Please, Papa?"

His hands cupped her cheeks as he kissed her forehead. "Are you sure, Mini? We can look at the other schools. Scotland is a long way from here. and even further from New York. I have to be in New York for work,” he said regretfully.

"I know, Papa. But, I can write letters and it will make holidays even more special," she rationalized. 

"If this is what you really want, love. You know I can deny you nothing," Tony said with an exaggerated pout. 

Turning back to Minerva, the young girl jumped to her feet, and held out her hand. Shaking hands she said, "Deal! Now, is there any way I can read about the magical world?" Her eyes gleamed at the very prospect of knowledge. Definitely a Ravenclaw, thought Minerva.

"Indeed there is. If you are not busy tomorrow, perhaps I can escort you to Diagon Alley and to the bookshop there." Minerva smiled as the girl turned to her father, pleading, before jumping with joy when he agreed. 

They quickly made arrangements to meet the following day, After reminding them about the need for secrecy and how the entrance would be hidden, Minerva handed Tony a slip of parchment with an address. He eyed the address listed, as though it would give him some more insight. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Hermione woke up early the following morning. Her sense of anticipation made it difficult to sleep. She hurried to dress and then ran to the kitchen to start coffee for her Papa. He would need at least two more cups to even get out the door. She carefully poured the coffee, added the creamer and sugar. Then added even more sugar. 

Her Papa had a sweet tooth bigger than anyone she had ever known. It was hard to get used to at first. Her Mum and Dad hadn't allowed much sugar in the house. Tony kept stashes of it hidden from Pepper. As if she didn't know and had secretly replaced the majority of the candies with sugar free versions. Not that Tony had figured that out yet. Hermione hurried as quickly as she dared to her Papa's room.

Knocking softly. she entered and set the coffee on his side table before going to open the curtains. Tony mumbled and rolled over as light filtered into the room. Turning back to her Papa, she approached the bed, grabbed a hold of the duvet and yanked until she managed to wrangle it away from him and onto the floor. In her excitement she nearly pulled Tony along with it. She rolled her eyes at his grumbling then proceeded to tell him he had five minutes before she was sic'ing Pepper on him. 

Leaving his room, she knocked on both Pepper and Mr. Happy's rooms. No matter how many times he told her she could just call him Happy, she still insisted on Mr. Happy. Once both were up, she went back to check that Papa had made it up. Unfortunately for him, he had rolled over and hugged his pillow. She turned on her heel and found Pepper in the kitchen. Without even saying a word, she handed her a water balloon she had just tied off, and picked up her own. 

Pepper followed Hermione down the hall. They stood on opposite sides of the bed. Hermione struck first. When the balloon burst, Tony shot up, sputtering as he threw himself in the opposite direction - where Pepper proceeded to nail him with her balloon. He shot to his feet, which tangled in the duvet and down he went again.

"Okay! Okay! I'm up!" Tony yelled as he stood, attempting to untangle himself while trying to maintain his balance. 

Finally he stood up to his full height and wrung the water from his pajamas. Then he rounded the bed. Tickling Mini on the way, he picked up his coffee and headed to his ensuite. He met them in the kitchen twenty minutes later. He went straight to the coffee pot, poured another cup and drank it black while making faces and gagging. 

"Ugh. That's horrible! How can anyone want to drink it like that all the time?" He placed the mug in the sink and picked up his phone. Eyeing Hermione, who shook her head 'no' - no buzzy feeling now. He had learned to check with her first. If she was feeling lightly buzzy, he had found he could stand ten feet away without the phone crashing. He checked his email quickly until Happy joined them. 

They loaded up and left to meet McGonagall at the address she had provided. Tony had Googled it last night and discovered it didn't look like anything special. Looking at the building before him, he decided he was right. The windowfront was rather unimpressive.

"I know it doesn't look like much. But I promise you are in for a treat," a scottish voice said in a thick burr from the now open doorway. They followed Minerva through the dingy tavern. Tony scoffed the whole way. Hermione watched with wide eyes as McGonagall tapped the bricks of a blank brick wall. The bricks began to rearrange themselves into an archway. Gesturing for them to go on through, McGonagall stood behind the small family. They all stared with eyes wide, mouths open. "Welcome to Diagon Alley," McGonagall said grandly.

Diagon Alley was unlike anything Tony had ever seen. Sure he had seen some pretty incredible things thanks to his father and his experiments. It was strange and fascinating. He struggled to take it all in. 

In a word, it was _magical._ The shoppers wore funny clothing. A cross of the Victorian era meets graduation ceremonies, Tony thought. McGonagall had explained that they were called robes, and that Mini would wear them at school. So much for fashion, he thought. He turned his attention to his daughter, whose grip on his hand had yet to let up. 

XXXX

Happy Hogan was a simple pleasures kind of man. It didn't take much to make him happy. Though it used to be hard to tell, he was indeed happy. Born ‘Harold Joseph Hogan,’ he had received his ironic nickname during his boxing days for his constant refusal to smile. 

He had worked for Tony Stark for a while now; and he still recalled in great detail how their acquaintance had begun. 

The former boxer had saved Tony Stark's life once upon a time. It happened one night after losing yet another fight. He had just entered a back alley on his way to the bus stop when the sounds of a scuffle caught his attention. His eyes had strained to make out the source. 

Three men were surrounding another man, and were taking turns throwing punches. Happy had to give the man credit. He was doing okay holding his own in a three on one fight. That was until one of the men pulled a knife. Distracted by the blade, one of the others lunged and caught the man. He yanked the man's arms behind his back, holding him while the third man punched him in the stomach. 

Happy knew he couldn't turn his back on an unfair fight. Especially seeing as there was now a knife involved. Someone would definitely be hurt. Using his body like a human bulldozer, he charged in. The surprise attack caught the assailants off guard. The one holding the man released his arm, but not before the first man managed to swing the knife at the captive man. 

The knife caught him in the side, and blood began gushing from the wound. Happy quickly tackled the man with the knife. A strong punch to the face knocked the man out. Turning quickly he saw the other assailants running off. He quickly scrambled across the alley and helped the stunned man who was trying to staunch the wound and stop the bleeding. His face was pale and his words were a bit slurred. Happy quickly pulled off his shirt and held it against the wound. Helping the man up, he managed to get the gist of his slurred request: Hospital. Drive his car. The man held out his keys and pointed to a sports car nearby. Happy helped him into the passenger seat, ran around the car and slid into the driver's seat. They made it to the hospital a few minutes later. 

The man he now knew to be Tony Stark told him the men had jumped him because they suspected he had been flirting with their women. He admitted he probably had been, but he didn't know for sure. Natural charm was just part of his personality. Tony had thirty-seven stitches. Happy visited his hospital room. In gratitude, Stark had offered him a job. It wasn't until Hermione had come into their lives that he could truly say he had a reason to smile. The little girl had won him over with her smiles, hugs and those big brown eyes lighting up with joy every time she saw him. 

He carried a large amount of guilt still from the attempted kidnapping. Logically, he knew getting stuck in traffic wasn't something he could have prevented. No one could have anticipated the hold up stemming from a car accident. 

Because of the fear of another kidnapping attempt, Happy was much more vigilant with his job. When Hermione had begun to tense at the sight of the large crowd, he placed his hand on her lower back briefly. The gesture reassured her that he had her back. Hermione smiled weakly over her shoulder. Then she turned around, straightened her shoulders and pretended to be unafraid. 

XXXX 

Hermione’s eyes were wide with wonder as she made her way through Diagon Alley. The bank had been an interesting experience. Papa had seemed quite unsure what to make of the goblins. But after a few minutes, he had complimented their security measures, and had given them some money to give him some investment information. When he told them that he believed that they knew all there was to know about the wizarding economy and that they would indeed make the best investments for him, he won them over. 

Not that Hermione was complaining. After all, having those who controlled all the money in wizarding Britain as an ally could only help in the future. Because she wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts until the following school year, she had been advised not to get her wand just yet. Considering she wouldn't be able to use it anyway, it hadn't been an issue. The same reasoning applied to robes and potion ingredients as she would grow in the coming months, and potion ingredients were always at their most potent when fresh. 

Hermione had been a little disappointed until she had been allowed into Flourish & Blotts. One thing she would never be denied was books. And through those books, knowledge. Papa bought all the required texts for her first year, plus several other books McGonagall had recommended. 

Tony had even added a few of his own picks - including a book about technology and it's failure in the wizarding world. It was one thing that he just couldn't seem to comprehend. He made it his new project to work on the effects magic had on technology. After a longing glance at the wand shop, they were escorted out of Diagon Alley. McGonagall promised to return with them closer to the next school year to escort Hermione to get her wand and other necessary school supplies. 

XXXX

September 1st seemed like such a short time for Hermione to get caught up with the wizarding world. She spent every moment reading and re-reading her books, including her personal favourite - Hogwarts: A History. 

Sensing his daughter's worry about being behind her fellow classmates, Tony stepped in. He encouraged her to practice the wand movements of the spells as well as learn the theory behind each. He still had only vague ideas of how to "magic proof" technology, but the book he’d purchased had been quite insightful. They had returned to the States for the majority of the remaining wait until Mini started school. Tony and Pepper were able to continue working. Tony was excited to return to his lab. And Happy, well Happy was just happy to be needed. He spent his time driving Tony and Pepper around and helping Hermione with spell memorization by using flashcards. 

Tony still hadn't had much luck with his "magic proof" tech by the time Mini was returning to Diagon Alley to get the rest of her school things. Tony and Pepper had been unable to go with her as they were needed at Stark Industries. But they sent Happy with her to be sure she had someone looking after her. They joined the two in London a few days later. Pepper spent much of the time trying to help calm Hermione down. She had packed and unpacked and packed her trunk for the third time. She was constantly fretting that she would forget something. 

The family spent their last night together enjoying a special dinner and laughing, followed by a movie and cuddles.

Tears and hugs were in abundance the next morning as they saw Hermione off at King's Cross Station. Tony gave Hermione a final reminder that if anyone bothered her that she should remember her self defense lessons. He reasoned that most other students would rely on magic and would not expect her to use a muggle method. 

Hermione met a few people on the train ride to Hogwarts, including a sweet but shy boy named Neville, a dirt smudged redhead named Ronald. And best of all, she got to meet Harry Potter. Harry had been mentioned in many of her books. 

Perhaps it was because she had Tony Stark for a father, but Hermione knew that the vast majority of what was written about someone was not always accurate. Instead of seeing him for his famous deeds, she simply saw him as Harry.

XXXX

Tony paced the floor, anxiously awaiting news from Hermione. He wanted to know how the Sorting had gone. They had all placed bets on just which house she would be sorted in. Happy had suggested Hufflepuff. Pepper had said she was far too clever and would end up as a Ravenclaw. But Tony was hoping he had rubbed off on her and she would wind up as a Gryffindor.

The sound of pecking on the window drew his attention. He hurried to let the owl in. The little buggers still made him cautious. The one they had used to correspond with McGonagall had nipped his fingers several times. Who would have thought that a bird could actually draw blood? Once the owl was in, he hollered for Pepper and Happy. 

"Hey! The owl is here! Who’s going to be the sacrifice this time?" he said loudly.

Pepper shook her head and retrieved a piece of beef jerky from the kitchen. Holding it out in offering to the bird, she lightly petted it as she untied the letter.

"Always so dramatic. Honestly it barely nipped you, you big whiny baby. Besides, he’s a real sweetheart, aren't you?" she cooed at the owl before holding the letter out to Tony with a roll of her eyes.

Tony quickly tore the letter open. "Drum roll please!" Pausing dramatically, he read the first part of the letter. "Our girl is a- GRYFFINDOR!!!! I TOLD YOU! Takes after me!" He crowed proudly. 

XXXX

There was no way she would EVER tell her Papa about this. No bloody way, Hermione thought, borrowing one of Ronald’s bad words. Papa would lose his mind if he knew there had been a real troll in the castle. And if he knew she had been anywhere near it? She did not want to see his reaction. Though she had to admit some relief that the incident seemed to cement her friendship with Harry. Even if he came with Ronald Weasley included - it was a two-for-one deal. 

XXXX

Waiting anxiously for Hermione to appear outside Platform 9 ¾ was one excited Tony Stark. He couldn't wait to see his daughter. She had written home frequently and every letter seemed positive. She had friends, no one picked on her, and best of all - there had been nothing and no-one threatening her life! 

When she finally emerged, she ran to him and flung her arms around him. He caught her and spun her around. Then he proceeded to attempt to smother her in kisses, before pausing, concern wrinkling his brow.

"Is that a scratch? Hermione Jean Stark! Where did that come from?" Tony turned her face this way and that as he examined her for further injuries.

"It's okay, Papa! It's fine. Nothing happened. I got it playing sports." Hermione lied, silently adding, _if one considers a chamber guarded by a number of spells and creatures - including a web of Devil's Snare, flying keys, a life-sized Wizard's Chessboard, a mountain troll, riddles, the Mirror of Erised, and Hagrid's three-headed dog, Fluffy; a sport that is._

"A sport? Since when do you play sports? Is this that one you said Harry plays? That one with the brooms? Fizzwitch or something?" He asked, huffing when he saw her amusement.

"You know the one. The one with the snitch. Though why you would want someone telling all your plays to the other team I just don't know," Tony said, shaking his head.

Unable to hold it in any longer, she burst out. "It's a Golden Snitch not SNITCH, Papa,” she exclaimed. “It's a homonym. And the game is called Quidditch. But no it wasn't that. It was more like a combination of an obstacle course and capture the flag. Our team won,” she said with quiet satisfaction.

"Oh well then. That's good. I'm proud of you. You made a full year with no mishaps! It makes me feel like this was the right decision " he said as he turned and helped Happy load Mini’s trunk into the car. Hermione grimaced slightly then quickly turned it into a smile when he looked at her. If only the guilty feeling would go away now. 

XXXX

Summer passed in much the same way as the last. Only this time, Hermione sent a few letters to Harry and one to Ronald. 

She met up with her friends in Diagon Alley before school started. Tony had been the only one with her that day. He had been talking to Arthur Weasley. His face looked polite and interested, but she could see his fingers tapping his pants leg, a sure sign of his growing discomfort. She was on her way to intervene when she found her path blocked by a cane carried by a tall, slim man with long, white blonde hair. 

"Miss Granger, is it? Oh, yes. Draco has told me all about you,” he said coldly. “Your father is a muggle, isn't he?" he sneered as he looked towards her Papa. Trying to remember her manners, she was saved when Mr. Weasley placed himself in front of her. Her Papa snagged her hand and pulled her quickly from the store.

XXXX

The rest of the summer was spent on school work. Hermione did her summer reading and moved on to extra studying. She practiced wand movements, pronunciation and the theory behind them. Then she started the other subjects. Potions was a favorite of hers, even if Professor Snape wasn't exactly nice. He still deserved respect and she put as much effort into his class as she did her others, perhaps even more effort, hoping to gain his approval. 

XXXX

Before the Stark’s knew it, they were back in London, standing outside King's Cross again. Hermione squeezed them all tight and promised to write. This year could only be better than last year. What were the odds that there would be another beast hidden in the castle? Slim to none, she decided. She found a compartment with a small blonde girl with long curls. Sitting down, she said “hello” as she watched the girl. who was reading a magazine upside down. 

"Oh hello. I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood," the girl said with a dreamy smile.

"Hello. I'm Hermione. Hermione Sta-Granger. Hermione Granger," she said stumbling through the introduction and cursing the near slip-up.

Luna smiled at her as if she knew a secret."Yes. I suppose you are now," she said quietly.

The awkward moment was interrupted when Hermione saw Harry and Ronald at the door. Waving them in. she politely introduced Luna to the others. Ronald promptly started talking about Quidditch, which was Hermione's cue to ignore him. She pulled out a book, glanced at Luna and turned it upside down, trying to read it. She gave up quickly and turned it right side up again. 

XXXX

Hermione didn't see much of Luna, except in passing, for a few weeks. Then she found her friend cornered by some of her fellow Ravenclaws. They were taunting her. And she saw one of them snatch her magazine. Hermione had to step in. She stood at Luna's side, drew her wand and prepared for whatever they dished out. However, Peeves the Poltergeist decided this was the perfect time to pelt the group with water balloons. The squeals drew the attention of McGonagall who helped them all dry off. 

From then on, Hermiobe tried to meet up with Luna every day. They spent many hours together in the library. Even though they were in different years, different houses and possessed very different personalities - the two girls struck up a friendship. Hermione had no idea just how important Luna would become to her in the future. Luna was odd though: she often looked as if she was seeing something far off in the distance, then she would give Hermione that vague smile and skip off to her next class.

It was Luna who comforted her when she accidentally added cat hair to the polyjuice potion, and it was Luna who helped her research the Chamber of Secrets. And even though the boys and Hagrid had tried - it was Luna who comforted her when Malfoy called her a mudblood. It was also Luna who sent an owl to Tony when Hermione ended up in the hospital wing, petrified. 

XXXX

_Dear Sir who is actually named Stark, (not Granger),_

_Hello! I am your daughter's friend. I know she would want you to know what has happened. The worst thing is the infestation of wrackspurts that seem to have taken up residence around her hospital bed. Of course she can't take care of them herself as she has been petrified. At least she is no longer an anthropomorphic cat though! Even though she doesn’t agree, the ears were quite adorable. She told me the Headmaster may not have notified you of that accident either. The Mandrakes in the greenhouse are unfortunately still babies, so they will need to mature before they can be used to revive her, and the other petrified students. I will write soon to keep you updated on her condition._

_Sincerely,_

_Luna Lovegood,_

_Ravenclaw Tower_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

XXXX

Tony read the letter through a third time trying to figure out exactly what it said. What were wrackspurts? Anthropomorphic cat? For the love of God, what was she talking about? He took so long trying to figure out just exactly what was going on that the owl who had delivered the letter had already left. Well, how was he supposed to reach the school now? Not for the first time he cursed the lack of communication for the families of muggle-born students.

Racing to the door, he shoved the letter at Pepper."Pepper! Cancel everything! And call the pilot! We're leaving as soon as we get to the airport! Mini needs us!" he exclaimed.

He would go to Diagon Alley and demand for someone to help him. There was no way he was leaving Mini alone. If he made enough of a fuss, someone would help - even if it was just to protect the secret of the wizarding world. 

He was in luck. When he began banging on the door to the Leaky Cauldron someone opened it. A woman happened to be in the pub as he spilled his story. She identified herself as a magical police officer and she and a few other Aurors apparated them to the gates of Hogwarts. After recovering from that God awful moment, Tony began rattling the gates to the castle he knew was somewhere within the ruins he saw. 

The noise drew the attention of McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore who were out for a walk. The Scottish witch recognized him first. "Good heavens, what's all this racket about? Mr. Star- I mean Granger? Whatever are you doing here?" McGonagall exclaimed. 

"I got a letter. What happened to Hermione? And what about the other students? Did the school fail to notify them too?" He demanded angrily.

"That's just what I would like to know. Why wasn't the Auror Office notified about an attack on students?" The woman who had introduced herself as Amelia Bones pushed her way to the front of the small group.

The old man with half moon spectacles peered at them. "It is not how things are done with Muggle-born students. We only notify parents if the situation is life threatening, which in this case it is not."

"Are all of the students petrified muggleborns?" Tony asked, trying to reign in his temper. "What would have happened if the children had been pureblood or even half? Would the parents have been notified then?" He had a feeling the answer was not one he would like.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It was thanks to Amelia and the other Aurors that Tony had finally been allowed access to Hogwarts. A charmed medallion allowed him to see the castle for what it truly was. He briefly glanced around as they were led inside and up to the infirmary. They passed beds containing several other petrified students, a cat and was that - a ghost? Tony decided he wasn't going to even try and figure out how that was possible. 

A small girl with long blonde ringlets currently sat at Hermione's bedside. She held a magazine upside down in her lap while reading aloud to Hermione. Tony only managed to catch a few words of what she was saying. 

"Crumple Horned Snorkacks are really quite hard to find. Daddy and I-" her words trailed off at their approach. 

Without even turning around, the girl closed the magazine, squeezed Hermione's hand and said, "Hello, Hermione's father. I’m grateful my letter reached you so quickly." Then she looked over her shoulder, her large silver-blue eyes meeting his as a dreamy smile crossed her face. "I'll let you visit with her. Don't worry, we will meet again one day. I'll always look out for my friends,” she promised, excusing herself.

Tony watched as the girl, who he realised must be Luna Lovegood, skipped merrily out of the infirmary. Shaking his head, he sat in the now vacated seat. His hand reached out to take Hermione's. It felt like stone. It was cold, unbending, unlike the usual warmth she produced. Tony felt a moment of panic as his tongue wouldn't even form words. How was this possible? What was being done? How many were affected? All these questions seemed to stick in his mouth. 

Thankfully, Pepper had no such issues. She calmly asked to speak to the nurse and asked all those questions and more. It seemed a lack of mature Mandrakes plants was the hold up on the cure. Sometime during her questioning of the medi-witch, a tall man with a sallow complexion and unpleasant disposition came in. From Hermione’s descriptions in previous letters, he guessed this must be the Potions Master - potions was like chemistry, she had explained. 

He carried a basket of vials and took them to a nearby office. When he returned, he glanced at Tony. 

His expression gave nothing away but it was the way he casually said, "Mature Mandrakes are quite expensive. Though only one per individual is needed. As soon as I acquire them, I will be able to brew the restorative draught in just a few short hours. If only Hogwarts had the money to purchase them." 

Tony met his eyes and he swore that he saw recognition in them. Which made no sense to Tony because he was sure that Hermione said he was a pureblood wizard. How would a pureblood even recognize him? 

Forgetting the wizard, he turned to Pepper, "Make it happen. Cost is no issue."

"Now really,” the Headmaster exclaimed, “We can't only revive your daughter. It simply wouldn't be fair to the others who-"

Tony looked sharply at the old man, sending him a withering glare. "I didn't say only Hermione. I said  _ make it happen _ . As if I would leave the others to suffer any longer than necessary when I can do something about it," he said, scoffing at the insinuation.

The whole arrangement took less than five minutes to negotiate. In the end, Tony paid for enough mature Mandrakes to be purchased three times over with the donation he made to Hogwarts School. 

As he waited, there was a flurry of activity. A student had been taken and then found. There was a professor who seemed quite out of touch with it all, and three students had been brought into the infirmary with injuries. He overheard one of them called “Harry” and turned around to look at the boy. Could this be  _ the _ Harry that Hermione had often written home about? 

If the story he was hearing were even halfway true, then he must be. A secret chamber, a giant snake, attempted human possession, a sword and a phoenix? It all sounded quite fantastical. 

Once the boy was deemed fine, the headmaster quickly swept him away to his office. Just like the Potions Master had said, once he had the Mature Mandrakes in hand he quickly made the restorative potion. Tony watched anxiously as it was administered to Hermione. It seemed an eternity before her body relaxed and became pliant. Finally, she moved and blinked her eyes slowly. Her head turned to the side of the bed. Eyes widening in disbelief,she exclaimed, "Papa? What are you doing here?"

Tony wrapped his arms tight around her and squeezed her tight, as if he would never let go. In her ear he whispered, "I will always be here for you. But Hermione Jean Stark - it seems we need to have a very long talk about lying by omission." Hermione gulped. Well, she had hidden the truth from him. She dreaded telling him about last year too. 

XXXX

Tony hadn't handled the talk with his daughter too well. He had, in fact, sworn to lock himself in his lab until he could create some way to communicate with Mini when she was at school. He had Hermione owl the muggleborns who had been affected by the Basilisk as well as any others she wished, to request they meet up with them and their parents. The meeting had gone well, once the other parents all agreed. They bounced ideas off each other as they tried to figure out the best form of communication while their children were at Hogwarts. Tony was determined to make it happen. 

After a trip to Diagon Alley for the next year's school books and a stop to purchase a family owl, the Stark’s returned Stateside. The summer progressed much as the others had. Tony had indeed locked himself in his lab attempting to create a ‘magic proof’ communication device. He went through many cell phones, tablets and other devices before he decided to make his own. He dubbed it ‘Magi-tech.’ Although, if it worked, he would definitely make the devices available to all muggleborn families. He was still letting them think his name was Tony Granger to protect Hermione. Oh, he never introduced himself as such. Just didn't correct any assumptions.

XXXX

The start of Hermione’s third year began much like the two previous years had. Hugs and promises to write were given. A newly designed Magi-tech pad was now securely tucked away in Hermione's trunk. This would be the first test to see how it held up. Many of the muggleborn contacts were anxiously awaiting the results. Tony had promised as soon as a trial was successful that he would make them available. Many muggleborn families were hopeful. Hermione just knew this year was going to be better. 

She had finally found a familiar of her very own - a large, squish-faced half-kneazle. She named the grumpy, orange creature ‘Crookshanks’. He was very selective about who he gave his loyalty to: Hermione, Pepper, Tony, Happy. Even Rhodey had passed Crookshanks' test. Upon meeting Obadiah however - Crookshanks had gone after him with claws and hisses. Crookshanks did not approve. Something Hermione herself had given the half-kneazle an extra treat for. She still had never liked Obadiah herself. He just made her magic buzz angrily. She had to work very hard to control it whenever he was around.

Soon after arriving, she was summoned to the Headmaster's office. Certain that she was going to be questioned about her choice of classes (all of them please!), she wasn't too worried. Being given a time turner was the last thing she expected. She happily took on the responsibility.

If she had thought third year would be better, she was sorely mistaken. She hadn't counted on an escaped criminal (who happened to be innocent - even Crooks liked him) hunting Harry (who turned out to be his godson), and the presence of Dementors everywhere.

Then, there was the non-stop fighting with Ron for the majority of the year - it wasn't her fault that Crookshanks did what any cat would do. Chase a stinking rat! He should have taken better care of his own pet, rather than blame hers, Hermione thought stubbornly.

Then, there was the fact Hermione was using a time turner and taking more classes than anyone else. If someone had told her the effect it would have on her physically, she might not have taken it so eagerly. Because she was using it at least once, sometimes two or three times a day, it caused her body to age faster. She estimated it added at least a year and a half to her body.

She also had to account for the stress of Buckbeak's trial. Thankfully, Luna was helping her -as neither Ronald nor Harry seemed particularly inclined to. Oh, and her DADA professor was a werewolf, who had transformed and chased her and Harry. Yeah, just a typical year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The magi-tech wasn't totally reliable, unfortunately. It only worked about a quarter of the time. But it had worked long enough for her to speak to Happy, who encouraged her to remember her training. They had been talking about Malfoy being such a jerk. Happy had pounded his fist into his hand and raised an eyebrow behind Tony's back. Hermione wouldn't normally have resorted to violence ...but nothing else seemed to shut the mouthy prick up. She had to admit, it felt pretty damn good. And best of all, it shut him up. At least when it came to her. He still hurled insults at Harry and Ronald. But he mostly pretended she didn't exist, which was fine by her.

XXXX

Tony had been locked up in his lab all day. He was not happy with the trial of the magi-tech pad. He decided he needed a quick sandwich and some coffee. He headed into the kitchen. Pepper and Happy both had the night off. He sighed thinking about how much better Pepper's coffee was than his. Reaching the coffee maker, he realized the pot already had coffee in it and was still warm. He looked around. Had Pepper returned early? 

He headed to the common room looking for Pepper. "Pep? Did you come home early? You should have told me you were back. We could've-" he stopped short at the sight of the two men sitting on his couch. 

"Jarvis! Who are they and how did they get in?" he demanded. Silence was the reply. "Jarvis? Not a good time to take a nap pal!" 

The man with the long shaggy hair held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Mini sent us."

"Fuck," the curse slipped out unintended. 

The man with the scarred face chuckled, "She said if you swore that you owed her a new book too."

Tony sighed deeply. What was Hermione up to now? And just who had she sent to their home? Abandoning the idea of coffee for something much stronger, he offered the two men a drink before joining them in what was sure to be an interesting conversation. Leaning forward, arms braced on his knees, he asked. "What has she done now?" 

XXXX

Tony decided when he picked Hermione up from King's Cross Station in a few weeks that he was going to strangle her. Okay, so he was actually only going to ground her... for the rest of her natural life. But who could blame him? Hermione had sent him a werewolf and a fucking escaped convict. Oh sure, one could rationalize that the convict was actually innocent and had never even had a trial. But that didn't mean all of the wizarding and muggle world knew this. They all assumed he was a convicted murderer and in hiding. Tony poured himself another bourbon. He already had a headache. May as well add a hangover to it, he reasoned. 

XXXX

He was going to smother her in kisses and buy her as many books as her heart desired. Oh sure, he had been surprised when he had found Remus and Sirius in his living room. But their magic and his mind had led to huge advancements in the Magi-tech he had been working on. Best of all, Remus had been able to take it into the wizarding world to test it and it was a success! 

Tony now felt comfortable enough to produce the devices for other muggleborn families. A few towers were transfigured to blend in with the environment, a clever disguise really. Tony even had the magi-tech patented through Gringotts and the goblins were working to secure him a place to sell the magi-tech. Of course Tony had offered both Sirius and Remus a percentage of the profits. They had put their magic into it, so they deserved some of the profits too. Tony was fairly certain this would be life changing for Remus. Sirius had already slipped one of the magi-tech pads to Harry and the two were able to speak quite often now. 

To celebrate their success, Remus and Hermione were able to secure seats at the Quidditch World Cup. Sirius would only be able to attend if he stayed in his animagus form. Tony was especially excited to see this new sport. Remus and Sirius spent a long time trying to explain it to him, before giving up and obtaining a pensieve to show him some of the games they used to play when they were in school. 

XXXX

Hermione hated Quidditch. But Papa had been so excited, she just couldn't deny him. She should have. After all, no one attacked a library! Not like this. She was currently running through the woods. She had gotten separated from Papa and Remus. But she had been fortunate enough to run into Harry and Ronald, whose father and eldest brother had found them when they had been surrounded by Ministry officials and accused of casting dark magic.

XXXX

Fourth year was starting already. After the attack at the Quidditch World Cup, Hermione was worried. There was no way this year would be peaceful. Even Luna seemed a bit on edge. Though she said it was because the Nargles had taken to nesting around the castle. 

No quidditch? Did she really hear that correctly? And a dangerous international competition to be hosted at Hogwarts. Hermione’s eyes immediately went to Harry. This wouldn't turn out well, she was certain of that. 

Malfoy and his goons seemed especially vicious this year. When he and Harry had gotten into a duel in the hallway, Hermione had unfortunately been hit. Her already big teeth grew to enormous proportions. Ronald, though he had helped get her to the hospital wing, had seemed to take great delight with it. If he wasn't criticising her teeth, then he was making cutting remarks about her hair. 

With Magi-Tech finally up and working properly, her Papa had wasted no time in installing a mini AI similar to Jarvis. He called it Jarvis Junior, J.J for short.

One of J.J's best features in her opinion was the scanner. Hermione had started working her way through the Hogwarts library, making copies of the many texts and tomes. She figured if she scanned a minimum of one hundred books a week, she just may be able to have the majority of the Hogwarts Library copied before she graduated.

She had a particularly rough day after the run in with Malfoy, and her beaver-length teeth. She called home that night, crying to Pepper. Later that week, she had gotten a surprise package from her (and Professor Lupin who had helped) of Sleekeazy, and a charmed hairbrush that would help tame her mane (Thank you, Professor Lupin!). Hermione saved the Sleekeazy for the Yule Ball. She attended the Ball with Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion, and an international quidditch star. Even Malfoy looked shocked when she turned up on his arm. Luna had helped her get dressed. But being a year younger than Hermione, Luna had been prevented from attending.

XXXX 

Being used as part of the second task for Viktor had been interesting. Hermione didn't remember any of it until she had breached the lake's surface. Unfortunately, she had missed a check in with her Papa. And when he found out she was being used as a hostage, he had almost made another visit to Hogwarts. 

Luckily they had been able to find out what had happened, and Sirius had been able to detain Tony. Showing up at the event would only draw attention to them. And if he truly wanted (and needed) to keep his daughter’s true identity a secret, then he needed to be cautious. Not something that came easily to him. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione returned from school in tears that year. The return of a dark lord. The death of a student. It was all overwhelming. Professor Lupin, Remus - helped her with her spells. and Sirius spent much of his time cuddled up with her on the couch in his animagus form. Papa had been very busy with work. She didn't know what exactly was happening, but both he and Pepper seemed stressed. She had planned to invite Luna to visit during the summer. But with so much going on, she decided she had better wait. 

When Remus and Sirius were leaving to head to a safe house that belonged to Sirius's family, Papa had willingly let her go. She was required to check in with him at least once a week though. She was excited that she got to see Harry before school started. Even if he was angry with the whole world. Pepper swore it was just his hormones. 

XXXX

Pink was officially her least favorite color. If she never saw the obnoxious color again, that would be brilliant! The new DADA professor was awful. No practical application whatsoever. Yeah, that wouldn't work for her. She convinced Harry to start a secret defense group so they could not only be prepared for whatever would come in the future, but also pass their O.W.L.S. 

It was perfect... until they had been caught. Those who joined the D.A had learned so much - including how to cast a Patronus! It was brilliant. Then they had been betrayed. Thanks to the vindictive sneaky jinx on the sign up sheet, they knew exactly who had betrayed them. She had SNEAK spelled across her forehead in permanent acne. Hermione refused to give them the countercurse. 

Exam week was chaos. The brilliant firework explosions that heralded the departure of the Weasley twins covered up Harry collapsing. He swore Sirius was in trouble. And no matter how much she urged him to try and contact him, he ignored it all. Instead she and Luna had followed along with Neville. Ginny, and Ronald as he headed to the Ministry to rescue Sirius. If only she had followed her instincts and used her Magi-tech pad to call for herself.

XXXX

Pain. Blinding, blistering pain. That was what she remembered from that night. It had all been a terrible trap they had walked right into. In his desire to rescue Sirius, Harry had instead drawn him there. In showing up to protect Harry, Sirius had been struck by a curse and fallen through the Veil, lost to them forever. 

XXXX

Hermione went home for just a short time before she returned to Grimmauld Place. She knew Papa didn't like being apart, but he agreed it was the safest option for her. He did try to talk her out of returning to Wizarding Britain. He had even gone so far as to get information on other schools she could attend. Every night he called her on her Magi-tech pad trying to persuade her. But Hermione couldn't be persuaded to leave her friends when they needed her. 

XXXX

The whole atmosphere of Hogwarts this year was somber. Harry was taking special lessons with Dumbledore. Malfoy looked downright sick. Harry just swore he was up to something. Even Luna was more subdued. The only joy that year was the wedding planning for Ronald's oldest brother. It would happen a few days after Harry's seventeenth birthday, at the Weasley Family Home - The Burrow.

After hearing about some of Harry’s lessons with Dumbledore, Hermione knew they wouldn't be returning to school if anything happened to the professor. She and Luna began researching and preparing. Luna helped her charm a bag with an undetectable extension charm. Hermione and Luna both took turns having J.J scan as many books as they could in the library. They had a feeling the information could one day be life saving. During this time, Hermione learned a new spell. One she would sincerely hate to use. When Dumbledore was killed, she knew she would have to say goodbye to yet another parent, another family. She was to return home for a weekend visit just before the wedding. When she went home, she planned to Obliviate her family. Death Eaters would target anyone to get to her because of her connection to Harry. Even though it was a remote possibility that the Death Eaters linked Hermione Granger to Hermione Stark, it was still too much of a risk.

However, before the wedding date arrived, Papa had ended up cancelling. Instead he was going to prepare for a demonstration before meeting with Rhodey in Afghanistan to present the Jericho Missile that Stark Industries had designed. Hermione was sure that Obadiah was supposed to have gone in his place. But she didn't ask. 

Death Eaters had attacked the wedding reception. Hermione went on the run with the boys, never knowing that her Papa had been taken and was being held hostage. 

XXXX

They had been living in the tent for months now. Hermione tried her best to stay positive. But in the long lonely hours of the night, it got to her. When it was Ron's turn to keep watch, she and Harry often curled into each other, holding each other for comfort. Harry was her brother in magic, just like she considered Luna her little sister. Ronald didn't understand their relationship. Didn't understand that she and Harry would never be anything other than best friends. He often gave them looks filled with jealousy. She knew that Ronald had feelings for her that went beyond friendship, but she had let him down gently several times. Sure, she may have fancied him for one insane moment in sixth year. But that had passed quickly. 

Tonight was Harry's turn to keep watch and Hermione was left alone with her thoughts. She wavered between depressed and scared. She needed her Papa. Even if she couldn't actually talk to him, just seeing his face helped. She pulled out her magi-tech device and powered it on. She had been leaving it off when possible, in a fruitless attempt to save the battery.

Magi-tech was brilliant. It did so many wonderful things, and made life so much easier. She had thanked Merlin, Morgana, and Nimue for it many times already. The magical tomes and texts she and Luna had been able to scan with the device had already helped with her research on Horcruxes. 

However, for all it's wonders, it still had its flaws. While the magi-tech was designed to recharge with electricity or by siphoning the excess magic in the air of magical communities or a large place like Hogwarts, it did not recharge well without the large concentration of magic. Being in the middle of Dean Forest in a tent, on the run with two other teenagers did not exactly allow her to have access to either electricity or a large abundance of magic.

This was why she was currently holding the now dead magi-tech device with tears streaming down her face. She had taken the chance to try and check in on her family. She knew it was a risk, but it had been too long since she had last talked to them. She had J.J. contact Jarvis and found out that her Papa had been missing for almost two months now. There had been an incident when he had left the Jericho Missile demonstration. Several soldiers had been killed, and her Papa was missing. Before she had the chance to try and contact Pepper or Happy directly, the magi-tech device's battery had given out. 

Trying to cope with her Papa missing on top of the constant stress, fear, hunger, plus wearing the stupid horcrux locket around her neck had been getting to Hermione. She had snapped at Ronald for a stupid comment that night after her attempt to cook some of the wild mushrooms she had gathered. Harry knew she was stressed out. They all were. He had wordlessly taken the locket from her neck. Some of the anger and agitation immediately fled her body.

Later Harry had handed the locket off to Ronald for his turn. Ronald, in his all his locket enhanced idiocy, had started yet another argument with Harry. It seemed that they were always at each other's throats when one of them had been wearing the locket. Hemione and Harry managed to get the locket off of Ronald before he had stormed from the tent and disapparated, leaving her and Harry alone.

XXXX

A loud groan escaped Tony's mouth as he tried to process the pain he felt. For several minutes, all he could do was pant through the pain. His hand shakily reached for his chest, where the greatest concentration of pain seemed to be. Someone pushed Tony’s hand away from the strange pulsing ache in his chest.

"I am sorry for such a crudely done job, Mr. Stark. I am woefully lacking in proper medical supplies. I did the best I could with what I had to work with," a somewhat familiar voice said nearby. Tony forced his eyes to focus on his surroundings as he breathed through the pain. He was just grateful that the light had been dimmed in here. 

‘Here’ seemed to be a dimly lit cave. His mind traced back to the events that might have led him here. He remembered riding in the humvee, joking with the soldiers riding escort with him. The nice glass of scotch he had been enjoying. Then a loud bang and an explosion in front of him. The soldiers had jumped out and begun to shoot at the attackers. Returning gunfire peppered the side of his vehicle. He had thrown himself out the other side of the vehicle. Then he had run for the closest rock formation, trying desperately to use his phone to call for help. 

He had just managed to duck behind a rock when a nearby  _ thud  _ drew his attention. His eyes barely registered the Stark Logo, seconds before the rocket exploded. He had been within an inch of death, his chest peppered with shrapnel. He had rolled over onto his back. His eyes stared at the hot sun as he bled out on the Afghan sands. The last thing he heard in his head before he lost consciousness was Alanis Morissette's voice singing  _ Isn't it Ironic _ . 

Focusing on the here and now, he turned his head to the figure standing nearby. Having finally adjusted to the dim light, Tony was able to make out the slim form of Ho Yinsen. Yinsen was a fellow engineer and a skilled surgeon. The man had saved his life by taking most of the shrapnel out of his heart, and fitting an electro-magnet powered by a car battery to prevent the rest from penetrating his heart muscle. 

He informed Tony that he had been taken and was also being held hostage by the terrorist group known as the Ten Rings. The terrorists planned to force them to build weapons for them, Stark weapons. 

Immediately seeing the impracticality of having to drag a car battery around, Tony built a small Arc Reactor, an almost limitless source of energy. He built it from a box of spare parts. He placed it inside his chest to power the electromagnet, thus eliminating the need for the car battery.

The terrorists demanded Tony make them Jericho Missiles: Stark Industries' crown jewel of their 'Freedom Line'. It was the first system to use repulsorlift technology. During the launch process, the system was given a target, which it then calculated the distance to. The missile was then launched, and when it reached a designated height and distance away from the target, it split into sixteen smaller missiles that all hit the target at key places. It was the very reason Tony was even in Afghanistan. He had come to demonstrate how the missile worked.

Determined to not just survive, but escape, Tony made plans, silently vowing to return home to his daughter. Each night he lay awake, staring at the pocket watch and the picture it contained. His fingers lovingly traced his sweet Mini's face. Mini who was probably home and worried sick about him. It was the thought of hugging her again that gave him the drive to keep going. .

He and Ho created a set blueprints and began to build. Though Ho was wary at first, he soon got caught up in the exciting new project. It took them two months and three weeks to complete. Crudely made from scrap Jericho missile parts, they built a suit of armor together. 

The boxy suit consisted of multiple layers of durable metal they had salvaged from missile casings. It made the armor impervious to medium caliber firearms and reinforced its physical attacks. The suit, dubbed Mark I, had several notable functionalities and weapons. 

It was equipped with a Manually Deployed Rocket Launcher. Tony had a Flamethrower mounted on each arm. Jet Boots equipped to its soles were fueled by solid-state rocket fuel salvaged from the scrap missiles propulsion systems. An exposed Internal System attached to its back. Nestled in the center of the suit, a miniature Arc Reactor which powered the entire suit. 

Once completed, Tony donned the suit and fought his way out of the Ten Rings hideout. He returned home to find his daughter missing. never having returned home. He immediately set Jarvis to run a search for her. If she had her Magi-tech running, he would find her in no time. 

Lack of sufficient sleep, coupled with worry were enough to convince Tony that Stark Industries had to stop manufacturing weapons. It was because of one of those weapons that he had been unable to meet Hermione. He announced the cessation of production in a press conference, one in which he also revealed the identity of the Iron Man. 

Tony had done all he could to try and locate Hermione. This included hacking into government agencies, just in case. The first time her name pinged on a search, he dropped everything to check it out. S.H.I.E.L.D had a file on Tony, and included her name listed as his daughter. Why the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division thought she needed to be mentioned, he didn't know. But he decided it wasn't something he wanted to find out. To be safe, he deleted any record of her. Whatever S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers Initiative were, Hermione would have no part of it. He would protect his daughter at all costs.

Days passed, then weeks, months slowly slipping by. Still there was no sign of Tony’s missing daughter. He knew things had gotten rough and the wizarding world was in turmoil. He had even tried using the Magi-tech. It was through this that he discovered Hermione, Harry and Ronald were all missing. Luna, it seemed, had shown up at Hogwarts at the start of term, but disappeared soon after. Yet through it all, Tony never gave up hope. One day there would be an alert leading him to his daughter. 

Tony threw himself into his work. He redesigned the Mark 1 suit, developing better tech and weapon upgrades. In a nod to Hermione's Hogwarts house, he chose to paint the new suit red and gold. Then, there was the new direction for his company that kept him mostly occupied. Weapons manufacturing had been the primary focus of Stark Industries for a very long time. But now it was time for new things. Stark Industries quickly branched out into other scientific fields, including aeronautics, robotics, micro-technology and forensic science.

Pepper was there through everything. When Tony decided to redesign Stark Tower to run on clean energy, she encouraged him. He probably would not have eaten, or even showered without her reminding him. Each night, he sought solace in her arms. 

Tony had tried everything he could to find his daughter. Each minute that she was gone caused his soul to ache. What little news he had been able to obtain from the wizarding world wasn't good. Every day he asked Jarvis to try and contact J.J - Hermione's AI on her Magi-tech device. Each day he was told he was unable to reach the other AI. 

Once, he had even tried to contact Remus. He had been unsuccessful at the time. But hours later Remus had gotten in contact with him. His wife had just given birth. After a quick heartfelt “Congratulations,” Tony asked for news. 

Remus asked Tony to get both Pepper and Happy. When they had all gathered Remus told them how he had gone to a safe house of one of the Order members to share the birth of his son. When he had arrived he learned that Harry, Ron and Hermione were there. Remus told Tony that the teens were on a mission from Dumbledore and that they had refused to tell him what it involved. He told Tony that the boys were in a little rough shape. Harry had lost weight, enough that it was obvious he had not been eating regularly. Ron was not as bad, but he had left the others for a brief moment. Here he paused. His eyes wet with tears. 

"My daughter. Please Remus. How is my daughter?" Tony pleaded, as he gripped Pepper's hand tightly. 

"You need to know, she is alive. And is receiving treatment now," Remus said, trying to reassure him. 

"What happened to her? Please tell me," Tony pleaded. 

"A few days ago, one of the boys tripped a magical taboo and caused a gang of Snatchers to catch up with them. Hermione - brilliant girl that she is, threw a stinging jinx at Harry's face in an attempt to make him unrecognizable. They tried to talk their way out of it, but the Snatchers decided to take them in. They recognized Ron and Hermione. So instead of taking them to the Ministry, they took them to Malfoy Manor," Remus said grimly.

Tony's knuckles were white as he gripped the arm of the chair he was sitting in. Happy squeezed his shoulders in a silent gestureof comfort, as Pepper pressed herself closer to Tony. 

"The boys were taken to the cellar. But Hermione was kept for questioning. I don't know everything they did to her, I was unable to speak to her myself. What little Bil-I mean the Order member told me was that they know the Cruciatus was used on her several times, as was a cursed blade." 

Tony swallowed his anger and grief to ask, "Cruciatus. That's one of the Unforgivables isn't it? The one that causes pain?"

Remus closed his eyes, wincing. "Yes. The boys are unsure how many times or how long it was used on her. All they know is what they heard and what they saw when they managed to escape." 

"Who? Who did this to my daughter?" Rage filled Tony's veins as he spoke.

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

Tears flowed between the small family as they thought about what Hermione must have gone through. It was Happy who asked the next question. 

"The torture curse. Isn't that the same one she used on that boy's parents? The one that made them go insane?"

Pepper gasped. She had not even connected it with the story of Neville's parents. "Is she-" she could only get a few words out. 

Remus shook his head, "She has not been awake much. It is my understanding she was conscious when they arrived. She has spoken a few words while awake. Her body is still dealing with the effects of the curse. Fl- I mean the Order member’s wife, says that until she is fully conscious we won’t know the extent of the damage it did. However, she is confident that she will recover and her mind will be fine. You know how strong willed Hermione is," he said, finishing his horrifying tale.

Tony nodded. Remus promised to try and update him in a few days. That night, Tony got completely drunk in an attempt to stop the conversation replaying in his head. Unable to think about what his sweet girl had endured. Happy had carried him to bed while Pepper tucked him in. That night, only Tony slept. Perhaps the others should have followed his example, instead of worrying about Mini. 

XXXX

They had not heard from Remus again, and none of the muggleborn families would answer his calls. Each day, Tony got worse and worse. No news was NOT good news in his book. Most days he worked in his lab until he physically couldn't any longer. He had stopped going to Stark Industries. Instead he allowed Pepper to take the reins. Each night he drank to the point of black out before Pepper had finally had enough. 

She disposed of all the alcohol and took all the keys to vehicles and performed an override on Jarvis, effectively putting Tony in lockdown. Other than herself, Happy and Phil Coulson - no one else was allowed in or out of the building until Tony got himself together. If not for his own sake. then for Hermione's. 

XXXX

It was Pepper who quietly pulled Agent Coulson aside after his visit and asked him for help. The next day a S.H.I.E.L.D operative arrived. The young man, Clint, had a precise skillset. If he couldn't track her down, his partner Natasha could. 

Tony thought Clint appeared eager and listened closely to what he said. Tony warned him that he wanted this kept quiet. As far as anyone knew, Hermione Stark never existed. Clint assured him that he would keep it quiet, the serious look on his face reassured Tony, who watched as he walked away. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Clint was ready to take on the challenge of locating Stark's daughter. He could understand his request for secrecy. After all, if he had a family, he would have tried to keep them out of the public eye too. His job had not helped make him many friends. He imagined being the "Stark" of Stark Industries and now Iron Man made it a thousand times worse. He wasn't sure what to make of the file Tony had given him. There was nothing on his daughter after the age of eleven. How in the world was he supposed to find her with next to no information? Especially if that information was already seven years old? He had asked Tony for more. 

After a brief fight between Tony and Pepper, they agreed to tell him more. Unfortunately he was called into S.H.I.E.L.D by Director Fury before he could get the rest of the story. 

It started out as an easy assignment. He was to be security and keep his eyes on a scientist and a special item called the Tesseract. He recalled the moment the man stepped through the portal. He was clad in green and gold armor. He had demanded the return of the Tesseract. Clint had sprung into action. The last thing he remembered was the man - Loki pointing his staff at his chest before the world turned blue and his body was no longer his own to control. 

XXXX

He came to with a blinding headache. The red head next to him stiffened. 

"Nat? What happened?" Clint asked, his head pounding. 

She poured him a glass of water. Handing it to him, she told him how Loki had hijacked his mind and made him do his bidding. 

"How'd I get free?" Clint asked curiously.

"Cognitive Reboot." Nat shrugged.

He snorted, "Must have clocked me hard."

Smirking, she said, "Well the railing helped." 

The two friends shared a chuckle. They quickly pulled themselves together in order to get on with their mission to stop Loki. 

XXXX

The scene that had unfolded in New York was terrible. The fight against Loki and his Chitauri army had left devastation in its wake. Sometime during the fight, an alert went off at Stark Tower. An alert that Tony had been waiting and longing to hear. Hermione had been found. The alert had gone off seconds before the building had been hit and the equipment destroyed. The alert had also gone unnoticed.

XXXX

Luna had found her sitting on the steps outside of what used to be the entrance to the castle. Ron was with his family, mourning the loss of his brother. Harry was answering questions with Kingsley. This left Hermione by herself. While some may feel the need the solitude after such a life changing event, Luna knew Hermione needed her friends now more than ever. She sat down beside her and touched Hermione's hand that was still clenched tightly around her wand. 

Hermione's eyes were unseeing, as if she were reliving the entire ordeal. Being here would only make it harder for her to recover. So Luna slipped her arm under Hermione's and pulled her up. She led her a short distance from the stairs before she pulled her own wand out. While she normally would never do this without permission or against a mind that was usually as formidable as Hermione's; Luna softly said the spell to read her mind. With Hermione being unfocused it took a few moments for her to find the information she sought. 

Once she had retrieved the needed location, Luna held tightly to Hermione and apparated them to the Stark family's London home. Going through the garden to the back door, a quick spell unlocked the door and let them in. A shrill alarm went off and Hermione blindly reacted. He hand reached out and entered the access code to deactivate the alarm. 

Luna led her into the house, healing the few things she could, before running a bath for Hermione, who, despite the action earlier, was mostly catatonic. Helping her friend undress and settle into the tub brought a sigh from Hermione’s lips. Luna could only imagine how nice it felt after everything she had been through. She was looking forward to one herself. 

She left Hermione alone long enough to find her room and retrieve some clean clothing. When she returned to the bathroom, she helped Hermione wash her hair. Leaving her to soak once more, she made an attempt to rummage through the kitchen cupboards. Finding some tins that she didn't know how to open, and a box of crackers - she settled on the box of crackers. She returned to the bathroom to find Hermione had gotten out of the tub herself and was staring blankly at the mirror. 

She held up the clothes she had found and softly coaxed Hermione into dressing. Then she led her to the kitchen and settled her into a seat. She managed to get her to eat a few crackers and drink a glass of water before her eyelids drooped heavily. 

Taking this as a sign, Luna led her to her room and got her into bed, Hermione's eyes closing before she whispered, "Stay. Please." Luna stayed with her until she fell asleep, softly humming a lullaby she remembered her mother singing. 

Then Luna took the time to take care of herself. Luckily she only had minor injuries. A bath, some food, some borrowed clothes and she tucked herself into bed beside Hermione. Hermione was whimpering in her sleep. Luna held her and soothed her as best she could. Hermione needed her family. She needed someone to watch over her. Vowing to send a letter in the morning, Luna fell asleep.

XXXX

After the incident in New York, Tony had opened up his tower to the other Avengers. He had even gone so far as to rename it Avengers Tower. They each had their own room, should they choose to stay. Bruce was there permanently. He and Tony often worked together in their labs. Steve usually stayed in his own apartment, but he had stayed at the Tower once or twice. Nat was there when she wasn't on a mission. Clint was there as a permanent resident too. He was taking a break from missions, wanting to work through the issues he had with the things he had done while controlled by Loki. 

He had been wandering around the large family room and had seen multiple pictures of Tony's daughter. He smiled at the younger images of her, with her rather bushy hair. It was clear that both she and Tony adored each other. The pictures changed as she aged. The wide smile that had once graced her face seemed a little strained. The innocence in her eyes faded. Her hair had tamed and became sleek, glossy curls. Her eyes were the most expressive parts of her. Each picture was like looking at a window to her soul. He admitted to himself that she was indeed a beautiful young woman. And though he knew that he shouldn't want to, he wanted to be the one to comfort her and chase away the sadness from her eyes. He didn't know what had caused it, but he knew if he wanted a chance to help - he had to find her first. 

After the sacrifice Tony was willing to make, helping him find his daughter was the least he could do. Clint hadn’t had much information to go on, and even though Tony and Pepper had finally agreed, he had yet to get the rest. Clint knew where Hermione’s room was. He headed in that direction, intending to look for anything that might help. The door was locked, and Jarvis could be heard telling him that the door was not to be opened by anyone other than a Stark. 

Most people would have given up, just knowing that Jarvis was watching the door. But Clint already knew of a way to access the room. While Tony had security on all doors and windows, he did not have it on the ventilation system. 

Smirking, Clint made his way back to his own room. Once inside he climbed the shelf against the back wall. Perched there, he quickly worked the panel off the vent in his room. He had been through the system a time or two. Usually when Nat was here and he was trying to get the drop on her, or when he just needed to be left alone. While he was in the vents, no one would bother him. 

He followed the system in the direction he needed, and soon found another access panel he could use to enter Hermione's bedroom. Whatever he had expected to find in her room, he wasn't entirely sure. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary bedroom. There were several shelves full of books on either side of an organized looking desk, a few momentos and picture frames scattered about. The large bed had a thick purple comforter, several pillows and a well loved stuffed animal sitting in a place of honor. The stuffed animal made him smile. He turned his attention to the shelves and desk. 

He started shuffling through the books and papers on the desk. He noted the titles of the books as he went - Pride and Prejudice, The Bell Jar, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Next he glanced at the few letters she had saved from Luna and Harry, friends of hers obviously. He didn't want to read them and completely invade her privacy just yet. But he would remember they were here to examine for clues later. The ones from Harry looked normal. The ones from Luna were odd. The paper was thick and old looking, the writing halted as if the pen had run out of ink. It was almost like old world parchment. A movement from the corner of his eye had him turning. It took him several moments to understand just exactly what he was seeing. 

He blinked and looked at the photograph of Hermione talking to a blonde girl. Both were wearing their school uniforms, neither looking at the camera. Lost to their conversation. Then the girls both looked at him, smiled and waved before they returned to their conversation. 

His mouth opened and closed several times, doing a fair impression of a fish. He could feel his eyes bugging out. He looked away from the picture and back again. Once again the girls waved at him. He shook his head to clear it. He must be seeing things. As his eyes focused again he noticed the titles on the bookshelf. A Practical Magic, Defense Against Dark Arts, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Advanced Potion Making. What in the world? Magic and Potions? It made no sense. 

Maybe he should just talk to Tony. He was walking past her bed on the way back to the vent, when something furry zoomed out and started attacking his shoe. He shuffled his leg to get what he thought was a cat off of him. The so called cat wasn't deterred and came after his boot again. This time he noticed it was definitely not a cat. It was a flat rectangle that had multiple eyes, brown fur and teeth that began snapping. He jumped on the bed to escape the odd creature as it scuttled under the bed. He waited several minutes. Then he removed his boot and lowered it over the edge. Immediately the creature attacked.

He pulled his boot back up and examined the teeth marks in the leather. The creature once again returned to the dark space under the bed. The occasional snarl still reached Clint’s ears.. He would just have to wait it out then. Surely it wouldn't be too long. He laid back in the bed. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon came from the covers. Was that how Hermione smelled? It was quite soothing. He closed his eyes, convinced it wouldn't take much longer.

He was wrong. He had waited so long he had fallen asleep in the large comfy bed. He dreamed of her smiling at him, her eyes aglow with happiness. She was reaching out for him when he was rudely awakened. The door opened, lights came on and Tony Stark stood in the doorway. At first he looked pissed. Then the creature dashed out from under the bed towards him. He jumped at it, quickly holding its mouth shut as he stroked its side. Looking up at Clint with eyes full of mirth he said, "Really? Trapped by a book? And here I thought you were the big tough Avenger."

Confused, he asked, "Book? What on Earth are you talking about?"

Tony held up the creature, which was oddly book shaped. "This is the Monster Book of Monsters." 

"The what now? I don't understand. How does that even work?" Clint asked, scratching his head. 

A grin spread across Tony's face, eyes dancing with mischief. "Magic!"

XXXX

Tony knew he probably wasn't supposed to tell Clint about magic. But technically, he had discovered it on his own. If not for the incident with the Monster Book of Monsters, who knew what else he would have found? Tony knew Hermione had kept all her old textbooks and had several magical items in her room too. It was why Tony had locked her door and restricted access to it before the other Avengers had been allowed to stay in the tower. He should have thought about the vents. But honestly he couldn't think of anyone else who would even think to use them. 

Knowing the secret of magic was supposed to be kept and the desire to find his daughter warred within him. In the end he made Clint promise not to ever reveal the secret to another soul before he told his tale. From the first moment he laid eyes on his daughter, to the last time he had talked to her, Tony told him everything. One small detail could be the very thing that led them to her. 

XXXX

Magic. Clint had thought his mind had been overwhelmed before. But if magic was real, then it made the things Loki had done seem less impressive. Sure there was the fear that another bad guy - wizard, could be lurking about. Like this Voldemort character. But knowing there was good, light magic - the kind Hermione and her friends used to counter it made a big difference. Clint vowed he would never tell anyone about the existence of magic. He could only imagine what those in power would do with the knowledge. The last thing he wanted to think about was someone being corrupted or forced to use their magic for someone else's gain.

XXXX

Clint thought long and hard about where to start looking for Hermione. From what Tony had told him, things were not pleasant in the wizarding world. In fact, they had been on the brink of war from the sound of it. It had been awhile since Tony had received any information. Even his muggle born contacts had not answered his inquiries. If Harry Potter was one of her best friends, and the so called savior, then perhaps there would be some gossip to be had. The best place for that kind of information sounded like the Leaky Cauldron. He heard how Tony had gotten access and decided it would be best if he were a little, okay a  _ lot _ more discreet. He informed Tony of his plan to go to London and packed a quick bag. Best to travel light. 

Once in London he used the directions Tony had given him and made his way to what was hopefully the Leaky Cauldron. He hid himself in the shadows nearby and kept an eye on the entrance. All he needed was someone to enter or even exit. 

After nearly an hour, someone stumbled their way out of the exit. Acting quickly, Clint slipped inside before the entrance hid itself again. He stayed near the wall, preferring to slink in the shadows. His eyes quickly assessed the place. There were several patrons already there. Not sure who to approach or even where to sit, he came up with a better idea. There were stairs that led to what he presumed were rooms. Off the side of those stairs he noticed the high beams of the ceiling. Timing things just right he slipped up the stairs and out onto the rafters. He started with one cluster of people, where he learned that the war was over and Voldemort had been defeated. Though there was talk about rebuilding, there was no mention of the missing Hermione. Noticing a somewhat nefarious looking lot, he made his way to them. The closer he got a strange buzzing noise filled his ears. He silently crept until he was directly above them, and the buzzing sound ceased. He crouched down to hear their conversation. Snippets and mutters proved this group was plotting something. Retribution against the "Potter Brat, the Blood Traitor and the Mudblood Bint." Obviously these fellows had been on the losing side of things. And if they were plotting against the trio, that meant they were still alive. But where were they? 

One of the fellows speculated they could be holed up in the old Black place, Grimmauld Place in muggle London. Perhaps he should try there himself. They had already mentioned the Weasley hovel had been burned down. If they had been to Hermione's birth parents home, Tony would have already known. Deciding to take the chance of her being at Grimmauld Place, Clint slipped away and left the pub. Best to beat them there. Besides if they were indeed there, he could give them warning. He was looking at the map he had, trying to determine the quickest route when his phone rang. A quick glance showed him Tony's name. Maybe he had more information for him.

  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The morning of their second day in the house, Hermione seemed to be in a much better state. While she still had some moments when she would get lost in her mind, she was much more aware of things going on around her. She was so grateful for Luna. Without her, she wasn't sure where she would be or even if she would be functioning at all. Merlin knew that Ron and Harry wouldn't have done half the things for her that Luna had. 

Luna's beautiful bright eyes were now clouded and troubled. Hermione knew she was still dealing with her experience in the cellar at Malfoy Manor, and the death of her father. But Luna pushed all that aside as best she could and helped Hermione through the roughest patches of her own trauma. 

Today was a memorial for all those they had lost. Kingsley, who had been named interim Minister for Magic (pending an election); would be addressing the public too. 

Hermione's hands trembled as she picked up her cup of tea. Luna was getting herself ready, then she would help Hermione change the bandage on her arm, and help her dress. Hermione was still dealing with tremors from her exposure to the Cruciatus curse. Some days were worse than others. Today was a rough day. 

All throughout the day, Hermione had to rely on someone else's strength and support. She stood between her friends, Harry's arms encircling her, offering comfort and security. She knew Harry would never let her fall, no matter how much her legs wanted to fail her today. 

Hermione knew she needed to see a Healer. She was very malnourished, exhausted, and her arm didn't appear to be healing much at all. Her nerves had taken a hard hit and would sometimes cause her muscles to spasm painfully. Luna had taken the liberty of making an appointment for the both of them with St Mungo’s. Somehow she had been able to secure them both appointments tomorrow. Though Hermione was sure it was the use of her name that had secured an available appointment. 

Going into the wizarding world at all was a nightmare. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of the Golden Trio. The only reason Hermione had any reprieve from the press was because no one knew where her home in muggle London was. No one connected Stark and Granger. So few knew her legal name, only Harry and Luna knew. Hermione had planned to tell Ronald, but she saw how he envied those who had more than him. He was often jealous that Harry had money. Harry, who would have given every galleon he had just to have a family like Ron's. No, she couldn't tell him about her family. 

After the memorial, Luna and Hermione went home. Hermione was exhausted and with a little encouragement from Luna, she laid down for a nap. The restless nights, when she was plagued by nightmares, did not help her recovery. 

Hermione thought about how nice it was to have someone watching over her. Someone taking care of her, instead of the other way around. Outside of her family, she had to take care of everyone else. She was the one they went to for help and support. She always had to be the strong one. She just couldn't do that right now. 

She drifted off thinking about her Papa. That morning, Luna had found Hermione's magi-tech device and plugged it in. Once she was rested, she would try to contact him. Luna had sent a letter, but the owl would take some time to reach him. Hermione had seen a muggle newspaper, so she knew her father had returned after his ordeal and was now Iron Man, the equivalent of a muggle superhero. He and several others had fought a battle with an Asgardian Prince. If the reports were accurate, she had come perilously close to losing her Papa. It looked like both of them had some explaining to do, she thought, as sleep claimed her. .

XXXX

Upon being plugged in and charged, J.J had connected to the home base and taken assessments of the location and persons in the home. He then reported back to Jarvis like he was designed to do, though he had been unable to do so for many months. He sent a video of the girls in the home with a date and time. 

XXXX

Tony was sitting at a desk in his lab. He was attempting to reassemble part of a project he had been working on, but mostly he was hiding from Happy and Pepper. 

Pepper was upset that Tony had revealed the secret of magic to Clint. He knew she was worried about how bad it would be if the information found its way into S.H.I.E.L.D's hands. But his instincts had told him that he could trust Clint. And he chose to listen to his instincts. 

Happy was just mad that Tony had denied his request to go with Clint on his search. He could understand how they both felt. But if it brought Hermione home, then it was all worth it. Besides, there was no way in hell he would allow S.H.I.E.L.D to find out about Hermione's magic. Fury would either try to use her for his own purposes or have her declared a threat to National Security. Fury would only find out about Hermione over Tony's dead body, he promised himself.

Jarvis interrupted his hiding.

"Sir, J.J has just checked in. It would appear that Miss Stark is in the London home with Miss Lovegood."

Tony jumped up, knocking the chair over in his haste. "Show me!"

His heart raced. If this was some kind of cruel trick, he didn't know how he would handle it. A video popped up on the screen of Luna and a woman who could only be his daughter. 

Tears streamed down his face as he traced every inch of her face with his eyes. She was so thin and pale. She was also sporting a large white bandage on her arm and seemed to be shaking. He couldn't be certain, but he thought he could see a few scars. The most alarming of which was across her throat. Pulling himself together, he asked Jarvis who else was in the Tower. It was a lucky break that the only other person in the tower, other than the family, was Bruce. As he was a full time resident, Tony felt that he should be informed too. He issued an order to have them meet in the family room, before watching the video once more. Then he had Jarvis contact Clint. 

"Stark. Any news on your end?" Clint asked.

"Yes," his voice broke. "She's at our home in London. Jarvis can send you the directions." 

Clint nodded, even though Tony couldn't see it. "That's great news. I'll head over there as soon as I get the directions."

"Barton?"

"Yeah Stark?"

"Bring her home as soon as you can." Tony pleaded.

"Absolutely. First plane I can get her on. I'll keep you updated." Clint promised.

XXXX 

Clint stood outside the London home that belonged to Tony Stark. Inside was Stark's daughter. He reminded himself to be gentle, that after what she had been through, she was likely to be skittish. He raised his hand to knock, when the door opened. In the entryway stood a petite blonde who had her head tilted to the side as she assessed him. Somehow he felt as though she knew him more intimately than even S.H.I.E.L.D did. And S.H.I.E.L.D knew everything about their agents. It was a bit unnerving.

"I thought if you were going to stand there for a long time, trying to make a decision, that I could help you make it," she said, tucking a curly strand back into the braid that hung over her shoulder. Was that a radish she was wearing as an earring? 

He blinked at her for several seconds before clearing his throat. "Yes. I'm here on behalf of Tony Stark, to locate and escort his daughter back to her home in New York." 

The girl smiled, "Of course you are. But I'm afraid I can't allow you to enter until you answer the security question."

Security question? Stark hadn't mentioned anything about a security question. Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, Clint reluctantly agreed. 

"Great! What is the average wing speed velocity of the Blibbering Humdinger?" 

Clint looked baffled. Then he remembered an old Monty Python film and he replied in the only way he could think of.

Trying to keep a straight face, he asked, "African or European?" 

Luna paused, her eyes blinking rapidly as she considered his answer, "That's an interesting point, I hadn't considered that...do you think that the distinctions between the two make a terrible difference? Why have I never thought about this before?" she mused. "Do you like tea?" she added. 

Frowning, Clint tried to follow along with her thought process. "What? Tea?" he stammered. 

He followed her into the house, still trying to comprehend how they had even landed on the subject of tea. 

"It will be just you and I for tea, I'm afraid," the girl said apologetically. "Hermione is resting. Have you ever had tea in the proper wizarding tradition? No? Don't worry, I will show you exactly what to do."

Somehow he ended up sitting in a chair, a dainty tea cup in front of him. Luna used her wand to float a tea service to the table. 

"Now, when partaking of Wizarding Tea, there are a few steps to follow. Firstly, it is only proper for the gentleman to assist the ladies with their chairs, before seating himself." 

Clint nodded. It wasn't anything strange. Just the polite thing to do after all. He watched as Luna examined the sugar bowl. "Before offering tea to your guests, you should always check the sugar bowl for Nargles. They like the sweetness you see."

"Of course." Clint nodded. That was certainly odd. He didn't know what a Nargle was but he was sure he would know if there was something in the bowl other than sugar. 

"When serving the tea, be sure to strain for gulping plymplies. No one wants one of those in their tea." Luna strained some tea into their cups before setting the teapot down and reaching for an odd onion shaped vegetable. 

"Would you like a gurdyroot to ward them off? One can never be too careful." Luna said seriously. 

Clint reached out a hand for it, murmuring his thanks. He placed it beside his plate, which held several small cookies. Right before his eyes one of the cookies vanished. He blinked several times. 

He missed Luna stowing her wand away after she had vanished the cookie. 

"Oh, rotten luck. You should always watch your sweets. Nargles are tricky buggers. They'll rob you blind before you can blink," she said slyly. 

Nodding absently as she continued to talk, Clint's eyes stayed laser focused on his remaining cookies. No way was he losing another one to those pesky thieves. He could hardly focus on what she was saying. He still couldn't figure out how one had gotten past him. 

They called him Hawkeye for a reason, but somehow he had completely missed the thievery. It was totally unacceptable. A loud scream filled the room. Startled, he dropped the tea cup with a  _ crash.  _

Luna sighed. She waved her wand and the entire table's contents made their way to the kitchen. "Right on time," she murmured sadly. 

Clint's hand went to his back, automatically reaching for his concealed weapons, but Luna stayed his arm. "It's just Hermione," she explained. "The nightmares are awful, poor dear."

She excused herself and headed to a room down the hall. Clint assumed it was Hermione's room. He could hear Luna speaking soothingly to her. A short while later. she returned. 

A young woman was clutching Luna's arm as she steadied her. He couldn't help but notice how pale and drawn she was as Luna introduced the two. Hermione's hand shook as she extended it to shake his. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Stark. Your father is most anxious to be reunited with you," Clint said earnestly. 

A small, soft smile curved her lips at the mention of her father. She sat in the seat across from him and Clint couldn't help but assess her. She was still the same girl from the pictures at Stark Tower, but it was as if the light had gone out from her lovely eyes, now marred by dark rings from lack of sleep. Her hair escaped the ponytail she had it tied in and hung limply.. 

Whatever she had been doing while she had been gone, eating had clearly not been a priority, and it had taken its toll. Small scars marred her arms, one of which was covered in a bloody looking bandage. Clint couldn't help but think that the scars did nothing to detract from her natural beauty. And she was beautiful, even in the state she was currently in. Clint knew when she recovered she would be quite enchanting. 

He answered the questions she had about her family. and briefly explained about Loki. The conversation turned to planning for a return to the States. Luna refused to be left behind. She said as long as she was needed, she would stay. 

A short walk around the garden tired Hermione out. She explained that she was scheduled to see a Healer in the morning. Clint nodded silently, watching her with a pained expression.. 

Later that evening, he still hadn't spoken much. He was content to just sit quietly watching Hermione read, while Luna prepared dinner. He attempted to read the book she had offered him, and while it was interesting, he couldn't seem to stop his gaze from going back to her. This was the most relaxed he had seen her. The shakes that plagued her earlier seemed to have ceased. 

After dinner, Hermione went to have a shower. She returned to the living room; bandages and a jar of salve floating in her wake. Luna met her and raised the long sleeve of the shirt Hermione wore. To the average observer, it looked as if Clint had not taken his eyes off Hermione's face. Her sad eyes had met his, looking for any reaction or judgement from him. He held her gaze, remaining silent, reassuring her that the wound meant nothing to him. Inwardly he raged. His peripheral vision was excellent. He had been able to see the wound on her arm. 

It was a word carved crudely into her flesh. The wound bled even as Luna tended it before rewrapping it. His eyes never left Hermione's. She nodded once to him in acknowledgement of his lack of pity or disgust.

Shortly after, he excused himself to shower. Neither woman knew how he clenched his fists and silently ran through scenarios of how he would like to punish the one who had harmed Hermione. 

XXXX 

As they retired for the evening, Hermione sat on her bed, quietly using her wand to pack the few things they would need for their trip. Her mind reflected on the moment she had shaken Clint's hand. A sense of calm and security had swept through her. It was a strange reaction. Almost as if her magic was assuring her that she could trust the handsome man. 

And he was handsome. There was no denying that. His blue-green eyes seemed to see into her very soul. 

XXXX

The next morning, Clint accompanied the two girls to see the Healer. He stayed outside the room, arms crossed like a sentry. He suspected they had used a spell or enchantment to keep people from overhearing. But, like most people, they ignored the vents. There was one right above the door and it allowed him to hear most of what was said. He paid particular attention to what the healer said about Hermione. He wanted to not only give an accurate report to Tony, but also be able to help if he could. He made a mental note to check into some possible alternative therapies that could help. 

He hadn't liked hearing that the word carved into her arm would never properly heal. Once again, his mind supplied various retribution scenarios for him to enjoy. It was too bad the bitch who had done it was dead. After Hermione had gone to bed, he'd had a quiet word with Luna. It didn't stop his dreams from being filled with hunting Hermione’s torturer down. He had been woken several times by the sounds of Hermione's nightmares. The last time, he had left his bed and stood outside her door. He wanted to knock and offer his help, but knew there wasn't anything he could do that Luna wasn't doing already to comfort her. He stayed there until Hermione quietened and her breathing became even. 

After the appointment with the Healer, the little group had split up. Clint wasn't happy with it. Luna was headed to Diagon Alley to purchase a few necessary supplies. Clint went with Hermione to Grimmauld Place where he met Harry Potter. He allowed Hermione to say her goodbyes before he motioned to Harry. He told him about the conversation he had overheard about a possible attack. Harry thanked him and assured him that his home was safe. 

Clint and Hermione waited in the small park across the way for Luna. Once she had joined them, they set off to the airport. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Hermione knew traveling ‘muggle style’ with Luna was sure to be interesting. She just hadn't expected it to be both entertaining and exhausting. 

Before they boarded the plane, the little group had to go through security and customs. Getting through the metal detectors had been something else. Apparently, Luna had an undetectable extension charm on her pocket. A pocket apparently filled with several metal items. After the fourth attempt to make it through failed and the guard pulled Luna to the side to sweep her person with the handheld, Hermione discretely cast a wandless confundus charm. 

Customs was even worse. When asked if she had any produce or edibles to declare, Luna had looked at them strangely. "Well, just my earrings. They're radishes. They help ward off the nargles that are nesting in my luggage."

Hermione had run a hand over her face in exasperation. She'd finally had to use her second confundus charm of the day just to get Luna through the airport. To give him credit, Clint had remained calm and collected through the whole scene. Hermione certainly appreciated that. 

Luna had done well during the flight. She slept for most of it. Hermione hadn't slept, too worried she would have a nightmare. At one point the plane experienced a bit of turbulence. Hermione had grabbed Clint's hand. He had calmly held it and murmured reassurances to her. She didn't notice that she still held his hand long after they passed the turbulence. 

XXXX

Clint noticed. He looked at their clasped hands and smiled softly. It felt good to be the one who took care of her. They talked quietly together on the flight. And though he told himself not to get too attached, Clint couldn't help but fall a little more.

XXXX

As the group exited the airport, they were pleased to find Happy waiting to pick them up. He had hugged Hermione tightly, pretending not to let a few stray tears fall. 

Hermione was anxious to see her Papa. She was having a good day strength-wise. The doctor had promised her that with proper care she would regain her strength and youthful energy. She would however, probably always have episodes of tremors from the Cruciatus curse. On the way up in the elevator, she found herself leaning on Clint, who silently offered his support. 

XXXX

Bruce watched as Tony paced, impatiently waiting for the elevator to reach them. He had been surprised to hear that not only did Tony have a daughter, but that she was also a witch, and had been missing for months. The elevator dinged and Bruce turned his attention to it as the doors opened. Happy walked out, quietly talking to a petite blonde woman. The woman walked straight up to him, and looked at him with her big, blue eyes. He stared awkwardly at her as he said hello. She smiled and he felt a funny sensation in his chest. The young woman wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He wasn't sure what to make of it. It was over quickly and she smiled at him again, the fluttery feeling returning. His eyes were drawn to her as Tony greeted his daughter. 

XXXX

Luna smiled at the tall man. This was one of the other reasons she had accompanied Hermione home. She had seen in a dream that the man who would one day be her husband was living with Hermione's father. He was older, but quite handsome. His eyes relayed his intelligence. She couldn't wait to get to know everything about him. She couldn't seem to stop herself from hugging him. Luna knew he needed her, even if he didn't know that yet. 

XXXX

Back and forth Tony paced. Did it always take the elevator so long to reach this floor? Probably not. It just seemed longer because he knew Hermione was in it.

Hearing the  _ ding, _ he stopped. Pepper joined him, holding his hand tightly. The doors slid open and Happy and Luna were the first to exit. Tony eyed Clint, whose arm was wrapped around Hermione's waist as he helped her walk the short distance. They stopped before him and Clint transferred her arm to Tony before stepping back. He remained close in case her legs gave out. 

No words were exchanged as father and daughter embraced, both crying.

XXXX

Hermione collapsed against him, his arms embracing her tightly. Sobs shook her thin frame. God, what had she been through? Tony leaned down, scooped her up and carried her to the couch. There he sat with his daughter in his lap. His eyes met Clint's as he mouthed the words:  _ thank you _ . Clint nodded in acknowledgement. 

Tony’s hands stroked her hair and back in an attempt to soothe her. He fought off his remaining tears, choosing to be strong for Hermione. He couldn't fall apart now, not when she needed him. He talked in a low soothing tone, reassuring her of his love, her safety, anything he could think of. 

Finally, she calmed enough to lift her head from his shoulder. Her tear-streaked face looked to his. He cupped her face gently and kissed her forehead. 

His voice shook as he spoke, "I'm so glad you're home, sweetheart."

"Me too, Papa," she whispered. 

Searching her face, he asked her, "Can you talk about it? I want to know what happened."

Nodding her head, she reached a hand out for Luna, who held it tight. Hermione began to tell the story of loss, hope, fear, war, and survival. Luna added in what she could, even taking over when Hermione was unable to get it all out. 

Tony held her the entire time. He wasn't sure if he was reassuring her or himself. Either way he knew he would have trouble letting her out of his sight again. In fact, he took her to his room and tucked her into his bed. He would watch over her tonight, keep her safe from everything. Once she was asleep, he asked Jarvis to send Clint to him. Sitting where he could still see her, he listened to Clint's report on her health and his personal observations. His voice catching, Tony once again thanked him. 

Finally, Tony joined her in sleep. He was woken a few hours later when she had a nightmare. Rolling over, he reached out to her and held her tight. When she calmed, he got up to get her some water. Finally she fell back asleep. He pressed another kiss to her forehead before joining her in sleep. The screaming happened again a few hours later. This time after she fell asleep, Tony stayed awake. 

At breakfast the next morning, he sat across from her, encouraging her to eat, while his eyes catalogued every new scar he could see. He hadn't seen the extent of the damage to her arm last night as it had been bandaged. But this morning, it was uncovered. He knew that word and what it meant. 

He remembered the letter she had sent home in her second year, telling him about the ferret boy calling her that word for the first time. The letter had been streaked with tears. He recalled a trip to Diagon Alley, where he had heard the word directed, not at his daughter, but at another muggle-born. Now his precious girl was left with a permanent reminder of that awful slur. Just because they were born to non-magical parents didn't mean that they were somehow inferior to others. If anything, Tony reasoned that muggle-borns had purer magic. They were the ones blessed with the gift. They shouldn't be treated as anything but equals. Tony wouldn't stand for it. He slipped away and quietly made contact with the other muggle-born families. Next, he contacted the Weasleys. Two of them worked at the Ministry of Magic and knew the best way to go about changing things. They helped him get the ball rolling. For all the issues Percy had once had with his family, he now seemed anxious to make up for his shortcomings. He knew exactly what needed to be done. 

Because the trio were considered war heroes, their names held a lot of power and influence. All three, plus several others, supported the need for change. With their personal endorsement and pleas and petitions to the Wizengamot, plus the galleons Tony contributed towards campaigning for change, a new law was passed in just a few short months. From the date the new legislation was actioned by the Wizengamot and approved by the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, no person could discriminate against another person because of their blood status. All were now to be considered equal under the law and within the wizarding community. Anyone caught using a derogatory term with reference to someone of a different blood status faced a hefty fine with the possibility of time in Azkaban for repeat offenders. It was a victory. Just a small one that Tony was able to help accomplish for his daughter.

XXXX

Tony wasn't the only one who was watching over Hermione. She had been sleeping in her own bed for a week now and Clint had yet to hear her wake up screaming. He had hoped that meant she was getting better, healing. He himself had been struggling to sleep. So he did what he always did when he needed to get away, he took to the vents. He decided to head over to check on Hermione. He didn't plan to watch her sleep like some psycho. But he wanted to reassure himself that she was doing better. Instead of seeing her peacefully sleeping, he watched as she screamed silently, thrashing in the bed, her back arching off the mattress. 

Clint’s heart broke to see her suffering. He knew she had been locking her door, and given the lack of sound, that she had silenced the area around her bed too. There was no way he could go to her and offer her comfort now. He would have no reason to be anywhere near her room. He sat in silence, offering what support he could from a distance.

The next day he tried harder to help her. Unlike some of the others; who, even though they meant well, just made it worse. Clint never treated her as if she was some fragile doll. He knew she would hate that. Instead he focused on the things he could do. He escorted her for walks on the rooftop terrace. He talked to her about anything and everything. He invited her to join him for a movie in the living room,which he had deemed a success and planned to repeat in the future. They had both fallen asleep, cuddled together under a thick blanket. They both slept all night, no nightmares plaguing them. 

Once, he even tried to impress her with his knowledge of Wizarding tea traditions. He had arranged for tea to be served in the garden that Luna had added to the rooftop terrace. 

He escorted her to a small table and chairs. After helping her sit, he reached for the sugar bowl. Turning it this way and that, he examined the contents. 

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, a little amusement sparkling in her eyes.. 

"Checking for Nargles. Looks clear, but keep an eye on your cookies. Those little devils are tricky." His attention switched to the tea pot. He poured some into her cup, straining meticulously as he poured. 

"Ah! No gulping plymplies!” Clint exclaimed triumphantly. “Would you care for a complimentary gurdyroot? When it comes to those plympies, you can never be too careful. Best to ward them off, just in case."

Hermione's hand covered her mouth in an attempt to smother the laughter that threatened to bubble up and spill over. 

"Let me guess. Luna?" she said with a smile.

Nodding sheepishly, Clint’s cheeks tinged pink. Unable to control it any longer, Hermione had broken down into full laughter. It was then that Clint decided he had never seen anything so beautiful. Her eyes were sparkling, her lips turned up in a smile. He would do anything he could to see her like this as much as possible. 

XXXX

She stared at him when he wasn't looking, admiring him from afar. She knew she was falling for him, but for once her heart didn't try to caution her against it.. 

He was gorgeous. Sometimes sweet. Somewhat goofy. Bossy. Protective. He called to every longing inside her. 

All she’d ever wanted was someone to watch over her. To see past the facade she used. She knew that she was supposed to be independent and strong. She was supposed to be able to take care of herself. To not rely on others. They relied on her. But she guessed she was just built differently from most people. 

Growing up, she’d loved reading books where the girl had someone to protect her, not because she was weak, but because she was important. Someone to watch out for her. To give her advice. To ward off the bad things in life. 

When her parents had died, Tony had done that for her. He had set the bar high when it came to what she wanted in a potential partner. She had thought it had been too much to hope for, then she had met Clint.

He spoke to the place inside of her that longed for a family of her own, for a home filled with love and laughter. Papa, Pepper and even Happy had helped to fill the void in her life. She loved them, and they loved her. But the warm, fuzzy love from family wasn't the same as that from a lover, a husband. It wasn't that fluttery anticipation that slowly bloomed into fiery passion. And that was what she hoped for. What she craved. And she craved it. Dear Merlin, did she crave it with Clint. 


	11. Chapter 11

###  **Chapter Eleven**

Clint would never be called stupid. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he needed to do to get it. He would do whatever was needed. 

He wanted Hermione. She was coming out of her shell at last. Blossoming into the amazing woman Clint knew her to be. To win her heart, he would have to speak to Tony. Hermione would never want anything more than friendship with him if Tony did not approve of him. So he bought a bottle of Tony's favorite scotch and approached him. 

After a tense couple of hours, Clint was finally able to walk away. Tony had fought hard against the idea of anyone dating his Hermione. But Clint convinced him how serious he was about her, to the point that he would even go against S.H.I.E.L.D and keep the knowledge of magic out of their hands. After talking with Tony, who also wanted Hermione to have nothing to do with S.H.I.E.L.D, they came up with a plan. 

Tony had already had the records of his daughter erased from the database. If anyone asked, Hermione was simply Clint's girlfriend. An ordinary citizen. Even though he was an Avenger, Clint didn't pose a threat to national security. He wasn't bulletproof like Bruce. He certainly didn't have Dr Banner’s intelligence. He didn't possess Tony's skills or money. He wasn't an assassin like Nat. He wasn't a super soldier, or a demi-god. He was simply Clint - a man who was good with a bow. He was the "safe" one.

He'd bought a small farm years ago under an alias. Originally, it was to be a safehouse should he ever need it. Not even Director Fury knew it was owned by him. Should anyone start sniffing around, Clint would take Hermione there. Off the grid, safe. 

XXXX

As time went on, the two spent the majority of their time together. Soon, Clint was joining her in her bed each night, where the two simply held each other and chased away each other's nightmares. 

Neither had ever slept so well. Soon it became a nightly occurrence. Clint would join her in her bed, and pull her close. He would kiss her forehead and promise that he would be right there if she needed him. 

It was Hermione who finally made the move. When Clint pulled her close, she tilted her head up, before softly kissing his lips. Clint pulled back, checking that she truly wanted this. Reassured, he leaned back in, capturing her lips in another kiss. Instead of keeping it soft and gentle, he moved so he was leaning over her. His tongue traced her lips, which eagerly parted for him. As her tongue swept out to meet his, he swallowed her moan, answering with one of his own. 

Finally, the need for air drove them apart. He gently kissed her lips again before laying down and pulling her back into his side. Her hand laid on his chest where she could feel the racing of his heart. 

From then on, each night ended with kisses that took Hermione’s breath away. Soon kisses led to caressing. Soft, gentle, over the clothes touches. 

Contrary to popular opinion, Hermione wasn't a virgin. She hadn't had a lot of experience. It had only happened a few times. 

She'd had a brief relationship in her sixth year. She didn't tell anyone about him. Her friends would never have accepted them as a couple, and with war looming, they knew they would be on opposite sides. One night, she gave herself to him. He had been gentle and considerate of her, making sure she felt safe and ready before he entered her. She didn't regret it. In fact, had war not forced them apart, she would have been happy to stay with Theo Nott. 

XXXX

Clint had been working on a surprise for Hermione. He managed to sneak off for a little while each day to work on it. When it was finally completed, he blindfolded her, helped her navigate the trip before he asked her to stand still

"Ready for your surprise, sweetheart?" he asked. At her nod he removed the blindfold. 

Hermione gasped when she saw the newly built gazebo illuminated by fairy lights. She moved to it. Stepping up, she could see the city lights. She turned back to him. 

"Clint, it's-- it's beautiful. I can't believe you did this," she said admiringly.

XXXX

Hermione had turned her back to the view. The lights from the city far below and the few stars Clint could see made a beautiful backdrop to an even more beautiful woman. His strong arms wrapped around her, her breath catching in her throat as she turned in his arms. Hermione looked into his eyes. His eyes dropped to her lips before he captured them with his own. One spark was all it took before the flame that had already been smouldering between them turned into fiendfyre. She reached her hands up to slide around his neck and into his hair as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. His hand began to roam as their kissing became more intense. Around her waist, one hand clutched her ass while the other pressed her closer to him.

He turned and pushed her into the gazebo, his lips trailing down her neck. She had the presence of mind to cast a nonverbal, wandless notice-me-not, and silencing charm. She followed it with a contraception spell before losing herself. Her hands found their way under his shirt, trailing across his hard stomach.

Clint was lost in the taste of her. His tongue traced her mouth, her neck; he could taste her very essence. He couldn't get enough of her. His hands trailed down to her bare thighs. Her skirt inched up as he picked her up and wrapped her legs around him. He bucked his hips, his hard length hindered by his jeans. Her head fell back as he made quick work of her buttoned shirt and bared her breasts. He unsnapped her front closure bra and immediately feasted on her right breast while his hand skillfully played with her left.

Moans fell from her lips as he bit and tugged at her nipples. One hand made its way down her body, his hand slipping into her panties.

Hermione gasped. Clint was slowly stroking her clit, and she knew that no one could be better at this than him. Hermione pulled his mouth towards her as he continued to stroke her, picking up the pace until her legs were trembling.

"Clint!" Hermione panted, bucking her hips wildly into his hand. "Please. Oh Merlin - I'm so close!"

She let out a loud cry as her orgasm tore through her, her legs shaking violently, breathless ripples shaking through her, she yanked at the buttons on Clint's jeans. Tugging them open, and pulling out his hard cock, she stroked his length. Clints fingers tugged her panties to the side, as she positioned his cock against her.

Clint slid forward, and they both let out a moan as he sank into her sweetness. Hermione bounced on him, his length filled her perfectly, hitting all the right spots. Growling, he shifted, quickened his thrusts, beginning to pound into her.

“Merlin - yes! Yes - Clint! Don't stop," Hermione moaned. His cock was pistoning in and out of her, hands grabbing her breasts. His hips met hers, thrust for thrust. He was going to lose his control any second. Her nails scored his back with every stroke, causing his arousal to hit an all time high.

"Fuck! Hermione," Clint groaned as she clenched around him. "Fuck, I'm close. Oh fuck, Hermione!"

He reached down, finding her clit and furiously rubbing it. It didn't take long before she was desperate for her release.

"Ah! Clint!" Hermione screamed, as he hit her G-spot once again and sent her sailing over the edge. Her orgasm was all he needed before he came too, spilling into her over and over again. They stayed there for a while, regaining their breath. Hermione slipped off of him, his essence slowly leaking down her legs.

Clint rested his forehead against hers, his eyes searching hers for any sign of regret. He was relieved to find there was none. 

"I can't say I thought our first time would be like that, but I also can't say I regret it," his voice was rough. 

Kissing his lips lightly, Hermione smiled. "Me either. I don't regret a single thing when it comes to you."

Hermione cast a quick cleansing charm over them before they separated and began to dress. The two lovers made their way back inside, holding hands. 

Later that night they explored each other slowly. As they drifted off, he whispered, "I love you."

XXXX

They weren't the only ones who had progressed in their relationship. Sure, Luna and Bryce weren't quite there yet. He had tried a number of times to convince her that she should be with someone younger, more handsome. Someone who wasn't a monster. Her response had been a good hexing, while she yelled at him. To say he was stunned was an understatement. No one ever treated him like that. Most people walked around him on eggshells, afraid to provoke the beast. Well that is, except for Tony. But no one ever claimed Stark was completely sane.. 

Bruce had been afraid he would hurt Luna if he ever hulked out near her. So Luna proved him wrong. She sent stinging jinxes at him again and again. Until he finally snapped and became the big green guy. Luna simply smiled at him before she reached out her hand and led him out to the rooftop. 

Tony, unsure he was seeing what he thought he was, had come to find them. He didn't expect to see tiny Luna sitting next to the big green guy. Even more shocking, she was showing him how to weave daisy chains. 

Clearing his throat, he asked cautiously, "All good there, big guy?"

Hulk grunted. "Hulk fingers big. Flowers, small."

One side of Tony's mouth curved up. He hoped Jarvis was recording this. The big, destructive Hulk mellowed out by a tiny slip of a girl. Nodding, he left the two alone. 

XXXX

Clint had been assigned a mission. As much as he wanted to stay with Hermione, he knew he still had a job to do. It was a long, miserable two days. Once he had been debriefed, he rushed to Stark Tower. Jarvis greeted him upon his return, informing him that Miss Stark had already retired for the evening. 

He slipped into her room silently. Her room had a large bed with silk sheets, and laying in the bed, half naked, was his love, Hermione. She hadn't heard him enter, too lost in what she was doing. Her head was tossing back and forth. One of her hands squeezed her bare breast, the other was in her panties working herself into a frenzy. Clint stopped at the foot of the bed, his body reacting to the image before him. He found himself reaching his full arousal. Hermione's moans resonated within him. God, she was beautiful, and he had to touch her. 

Clint placed one knee on the bed, bending down to suck on her uncovered nipple. He took the hard bud into his mouth, sucking and nipping lightly, his left hand tracing down her stomach, to join hers in her panties. His fingers found her slick, wet and ready. He kissed his way down, pulling her panties off, and exposing her to his eyes. Kneeling between her legs, he pulled his shirt off. Then he leaned down, blowing lightly on her slit, enjoying the way she reacted. 

He traced her slit with his tongue, up to her clit. His fingers found her entrance and he plunged two in. His fingers and tongue quickly bringing Hermione to orgasm. 

Hermione's hands went to Clint's waist, undoing his pants. She met his eyes, her own brown doe eyes shining luminously. Having undone his pants, her hand reached inside and squeezed his cock. She stroked him a few times before she pulled his hard cock out. Her hand continued stroking it up and down. Pressing her lips to the tip, she slid him into her mouth. Clint was lost in the sensations of her hot, wet mouth working his length. He finished removing his pants, and lay on the bed. 

Hermione straddled his waist, kissing him deeply. She sat up, lined his shaft up to her slit, and began to slide him in. He only had the tip in when he feared he would explode. She took his full length in, as Clint’s eyes rolled back in his head. 

Slowly, she began to move, his hands on her waist guiding her. She leaned down, her mouth covering his. One of his hands reached her neck as the other slid to her backside. Hermione broke the kiss, her head falling back as she found her release. 

Clint kissed her again before he rolled over. He stared into her eyes as he began to move again. He moved slowly, sensuously, working her back up. Their gasps and moans filled the room. Knowing she was close again, he stroked her clit. "Come for me, love. I know you're close. Come for me."

As if by command, she found her release, squeezing him. He shuddered, pulsing inside her as he finished. Slowly he pulled out, and lay on his back. Once they had both caught their breath, Hermione headed into the bathroom. She came back to find Clint kneeling beside the bed. 

"Hermione Jean Stark, I have never loved anyone as much as I love you. I know we haven't known each other for long, but I already know you are who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Please say you'll be my wife, and share my life with me." He finished, opening the ring box in his hand. 

Her eyes filled with tears. "Yes, Clint, yes. I love you, I will spend every day showing you just how much."

He removed the ring from the box, sliding it onto her finger as he rose. He pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. As the two ended up in bed again, Jarvis alerted Tony. 

"Sir, it appears congratulations are in order. Miss Stark has accepted Mr. Barton's proposal."

Tony smiled softly. "Took him long enough."

"Sir, perhaps you should take a page from Mr. Barton's book, and put a ring on it."

Tony chuckled, "Have you been communicating with J.J. again? His obsession with pop music is rubbing off on you."

J.J's chimed in, "You know you’re just upset that your age is showing, old man. Perhaps you should let someone younger program you. Someone like Miss Potts."

Tony rolled his eyes, muttering about teenie boppers, and reprogramming. He made a stop in his room before he found Pepper in the kitchen. 

"Heads up, Pep," he said as he tossed something to her. She caught the box, opening it to reveal a stunning diamond ring.

Her eyes shot to Tony. 

"Ready for a promotion?" He said with a smirk. 

Sliding the ring on, Pepper walked over to him with a smile, "Does this mean you'll fetch your own coffee now?" 

He laughed before kissing her, "Never gonna happen."

XXXX

Hermione married in a very small ceremony. Only Tony, Pepper, Happy, Natasha, Luna, and Bruce even knew about it. She used a spell so that the marriage certificate stated that Clint had married a woman named Laura. As far as the wizarding world was concerned, their newest Ministry employee was single and refused to date. This kept Clint safe from any potential wizarding threats. 

Tensions were rising, and after the Avenger's latest mission, things were not looking good. Clint decided to enact his plan, and moved Hermione to the farmhouse. Whenever possible, he stayed with her. No matter how tough things were, Hermione knew Clint would always watch over her. She was assured of this when she ended up playing hostess to the rest of the Avengers. Clint had shared a laugh with her when the others learned that not only was he married, but that his father in law was Tony Stark. 

The most hilarious thing though, had been the confused faces of Steve and Thor when Luna showed up. The tiny woman had snagged Bruce by his ear, dragged him from the house and proceeded to read him the riot act. To their immense panic, he turned green and sat down in the grass looking at the woman sadly. "Hulk sorry. Hulk not smash dishes. Hulk wash instead."

XXXX

Hermione lay awake that night musing about what her life had been like so far. It hadn't been without trials, but it was certainly an adventure. And the Gryffindor in her purred its approval. 

  
  


**~end~**

  
  



End file.
